Well structured WBBSE Class 10 History MCQ Questions Chapter 5 Alternative Ideas and Initiatives can serve as a valuable review tool before exams.

Alternative Ideas and Initiatives Class 10 WBBSE MCQ Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (Tick off the correct ones)

Question 1.
Of the following who thought that ‘great benefit might arise from setting on foot a public newspaper in the country’?
a. Lord Cornwallis
b. James Augustus Hicky
c. Adams
d. Lord Lytton
Answer:
b. James Augustus Hicky

Question 2.
Which of the following gave permission to publish newspaper in Bengal ?
a. British Government in London
b. James Augustus Hicky
c. Company’s government in India
d. Adams
Answer:
a. British Government in London

Question 3.
Of the following which was the first newspaper of India ?
a. Sambad Prabhakar
b. Hicky’s Bengal Gazette
c. Samachar Darpan
d. Tattvabodhini Patrika
Answer:
b. Hicky’s Bengal Gazette

Question 4.
In which year did Hicky set up his printing press in Bengal ?
a. 1757
b. 1777
c. 1780
d. 1793
Answer:
c. 1780

Question 5.
Of the following which is generally accepted as the first Bengali newsweekly?
a. Sambad Prabhakar
b. Bengal Gazette
c. Sambad Kaumadi
d. Samachar Darpan
Answer:
b. Bengal Gazette

Question 6.
Of the following who imposed strict supervision on the Press?
a. Warren Hastings
b. Lord Cornwallis
c. Lord Wellesley
d. Lord Minto
Answer:
c. Lord Wellesley

Question 7.
One of the newspapers that was published in English following Hicky’s newspaper was :
a. Bengal Gazette
b. Sambad Prabhakar
c. Samachar Darpan
d. The Calcutta Gazette
Answer:
d. The Calcutta Gazette

Question 8.
In which of the following years was the first Bengali newspaper published?
a. 1780
b. 1790
c. 1818
d. 1823
Answer:
c. 1818

Question 9.
Of the following which was the Bengali weekly published under the editorship of J.C. Marshman?
a. Samachar Darpan
b. Sambad Kaumadi
c. The India Gazette
d. The Calcutta Gazette
Answer:
a. Samachar Darpan

Question 10.
Which of the following Governor-Generals reimposed regulations: to control the press?
a. Lord Cornwallis
b. John Adam
c. Lord Hastings
d. Lord Wellesley
Answer:
b. John Adam

Question 11.
Of the following who repealed Adam’s Press Regulation?
a. Charles Metcalfe
b. Lord Cornwallis
c. Lord Hastings
d. Lord Wellesley
Answer:
a. Charles Metcalfe

Question 12.
Of the following who made no distinction between publications in Indian vernacular languages and English in introducing the repressive Act of 1857 ?
a. Lord Cornwallis
b. Lord Canning
c. Lord Hastings
d. Lord Wellesley
Answer:
b. Lord Canning

Question 13.
Of the following the Indian paper that was charged before the Supreme Court with publishing seditious articles was :
a. Samachar Darpan
b. Samachar Chandrika
c. Tattuabodhini Patrika
d. Samachar Sudhabarshan
Answer:
d. Samachar Sudhabarshan

Question 14.
After which of the following did the Bengali press get a trew lease of life?
a. Revolt of 1857
b. End of the Company’s rule in India
c. Queen’s Proclamation
d. None of the above
Answer:
b. End of the Company’s rule in India

Question 15.
The first daily newspaper in Bengali language was :
a. Hindoo Patriot
b. Sambad Kaumadi
c. Sambad Prabhakar
d. Samachar Darpan
Answer:
c. Sambad Prabhakar

Question 16.
Of the following who was editor of the first daily newspaper in vernacular language?
a. Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
b. Debendranath Tagore
c. Girish Chandra Ghosh
d. Iswarchanddra Gupta
Answer:
d. Iswarchandra Gupta

Question 17.
Of the following newspapers which was published under the editorship of Harish Chandra Mukherjee?
a. Samachar Sudhabarshan
b. Tattvabodhini Patrika
Samachar Darrepresive pan
d. Hindu Patriot
Answer:
d. Hindu Patriot

Question 18.
Under which of the following Viceroys repressive Acts were passed restricting the vernacular press ?
a. Lord Canning
b. Lord Curzon
c. Lord Lytton
d. Lord Hastings
Answer:
c. Lord Lytton

Question 19.
Of the following Bengali newspapers which was founded by Debendranath Tagore?
a. Samachar Darpan
b. Samachar Sudhabarshan
c. Tattvabodhini Patrika
d. Sambad Prabhakar
Answer:
c. Tattvabodhini Patrika

Question 20.
Under which of the following Viceroys was the Vernacular Press Act passed in 1878 ?
a. Lord Canning
b. John Adam
c. Lord Hastings
d. Lord Lytton
Answer:
d. Lord Lytton

Question 21.
Of the following who was the founder of the Fort William College ?
a. Lord Cornwallis
b. John Adam
c. Lord Hastings
d. Lord Wellesley
Answer:
d. Lord Wellesley

Question 22.
Of the following who was the first Bengalee to establish press in Calcutta?
a. Hicky
b. Baboo-Ram
c. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya
d. Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
Answer:
b. Baboo-Ram

Question 23.
Of the following who was the first to conceive the idea of printing in the current language as a means of acquiring wealth?
a. Hicky
b. Baboo-Ram
c. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya
d. Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
Answer:
c. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya

Question 24.
Of the following who was the painter pioneering the art of engraving in the country?
a. Satyajit Roy
b. Upendrakishore Roy
c. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya
d. Sukumar Roy
Answer:
b. Upendrakishore Roy

Question 25.
Of the following who set up a modern printing press under the name ‘U.N.Roy & Sons’ ?
a. Satyajit Roy
b. Upendrakishore Roy
c. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya
d. Sukummar Roy
Answer:
b. Upendrakishore Roy

Question 26.
One of the two illustrious teachers of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science was :
a. Mahendralal Sircar
b. Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy
c. C.V. Raman
d. Eugene Lafont
Answer:
c. C.V. Raman

Question 27.
Of the following the institution that was founded in 1914 in Calcutta for the cultivation of science and technology without any aid from the colonial British government was :
a. Calcutta Medical College
b. Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science
c. Basu Bigyan Mandir
d. The Science College
Answer:
d. The Science College

Question 28.
Of the following who infringed upon the autonomy of the University of Calcutta by the Act of 1904 ?
a Lord Cornwallis
b. John Adam
c. Lord Curzon
d. Lord Wellesley
Answer:
c. Lord Curzon

Question 29.
In which of the following years was the Brahmacharyasram inaugurated at Santiniketan?
a. 1898
b. 1901
c. 1902
d. 1903
Answer:
b. 1901

Tick off True or False

1. For permission to set up a printing press Hicky sent a proposal to the British Government in England.
Answer: True

2. The British Government in England did not approve Hicky’s proposal for printing a newspaper in Bengal.
Answer: False

3. Hicky set up his printing press in 1780, and in the same year brought out the first newspaper of India.
Answer: True

4. Several prosecutions were instituted against Hicky as his paper exposed many scandals that were not proved by facts.
Answer: False

5. A host of newspapers followed in quick succession Hicky’s newspapers in the last two decades of the 18th century.
Answer: True

6. In 1799 a rigid press censorship was imposed by Wellesley, the then Governor-General of India.
Answer: True

7. The Samachar Darpan is not considered as the first newspaper published in the Bengali language.
Answer: True

8. John Adam was not in favour of reimposition of regulations to control the press.
Answer: False

9. Bangal Gazette is considered as the first weekly newspaper published in the Bengali language.
Answer: True

10. Rammohan Roy fought bravely in defence of a free press against Adam’s Press Regulation.
Answer: True

11. Sambad Prabhakar is the first vernacular daily published by the Indians.
Answer: True

12. Gangakishore Bhattacharyya was the publisher of Bengal Gazette.
Answer: False

13. John Adam made no clear distinction between publications in Indian vernacular languages and English in application of the repressive Act of 1857
Answer: False

14. It was Charles Metcalfe who repealed the Press Regulation of 1827 that had been introduced by Lord Canning.
Answer: False

15. The Sambad Prabhakar, edited by Iswarchandra Gupta, came out on 14 June 1839.
Answer: True

16. The Revolt of 1857 gave a stunning blow to the Indian press in general.
Answer: True

17. Indian papers like Samachar Sudhabarshan were charged before the Supreme Court with publishing seditious articles.
Answer: True

18. Under Lord Lytton restrictions were imposed on the newspapers published in vernacular languages by the ill-famed Vernacular Press Act of 1788.
Answer: False

19. The Fort William College was founded by Lord Wellesley in Calcutta in 1800
Answer: True

20. It was Serampore Baptist Mission that supplied books to the trainee civilians of the Fort William College.
Answer: False

21. The printing press apart from supplying various information helped the spread of education.
Ans: True

22. When there was no printing press the scribes copied manuscripts by hand. But the copies made by hand were sometimes unreadable.
Answer: True

23. Upendrakishore Roy Choudhury alias Upendrakishore Roy was the man who first introduced the art of modern block-making.
Answer: True

24. The Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science was the first official (government) scientific research institution.
Answer: False

25. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose and C.V. Raman were the two illustrious students of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science.
Answer: False

26. The University College of Science and Technology under the University of Calcutta is also known as the Rajabazar Science College.
Answer: True

Fill in the gaps by choosing the correct words

1. It first occurred in the mind of ____ that great benefit might arise from setting on foot a public newspaper in the country’
Answer: Hicky

2. The first newspaper in English language was published in India by Hicky in _____
Answer: 1780

3. In 1782 Hicky’s Bengal Gazette was __________ and the types of the press was seized.
Answer: Closed

4. After Hicky’s newspaper a host of newspapers were published in the last _____ decades of the eighteenth century.
Answer: Two

5. The Governor-Generals like Cornwallis, Wellesley and __________ were very much sensitive to the criticisms of the press.
Answer: Minto

6. In 1799 a rigid press censorship was imposed by Lord ______
Answer: Wellesley

7. Bangal Gazette was the first _________ newspaper published in Bengali language.
Answer: Weekly

8. It was Charles Metcalfe who took bold step of repealing ______ the Press Regulation in 1827
Answer: Adam’s

9. The Sambad Prabhakar edited by Iswarchandra Gupta was the first ________ paper in Bengali language.
Answer: Daily

10. The first vernacular daily run by the Indians was _______
Answer: Sambad Prabhakar

11. Tattuabodhini Patrika was founded by _______ Tagore.
Answer: Debendranath

12. The ill-fomed Vernacular Fress Act was introduced by Lord ________
Answer: Lytton

13. The elementary Bengali text-book that deserves special mention was Varna Parichay of ________
Answer: Iswarchandra Vidyasagar

14. The first Bengalee who established press in Calcutta was _________
Answer: Baboo-Ram

15. _______ was the author of Chheleder Ramayana.
Answer: Upendrakishore Roy

16. Besides being pioneer in the art of engraving __________ also was the first to attempt colour printing in India.
Answer: Upendrakishore Roy

17. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose was one of the two illustrious _______ of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science.
Answer: Teachers

18. Establishment of the science division of the University of Calcutta was possible due to the financial support of ____ and Taraknath Palit.
Answer: Rashbehari Ghosh

19. A split in the National Council became inevitable when there developed two different opinions regarding the ____ of instruction,
Answer: Method

20. The school set up by Rabindranath Tagore at Santiniketan was based on the model of forest schools of _______ period in India.
Answer: Vedic

Statement and Assertion

Question 1.
Statement : The East India Company’s Government in India were very much sensitive to the criticism of the press.
Assertion :
(a) A host of newspapers followed in quick succession Hick’s newspapers in the last two decades of the eighteenth century.
(b) The criticisms and exposures by the independent papers aroused anger and fear of the colonial rulers.
(c) In 1799 a rigid press censorship was imposed by Wellesley.
(d) Hicky is the pioneer of the Indian press.
Answer:
(c) In 1799 a rigid press censorship was imposed by Wellesley.

Question 2.
Statement : The Revolt of 1857 gave a stunning blow to the Indian press in general.
Assertion :
(a) The Indian press got a new lease of life after the British Crown took over the Indian administration from the Esat India Company.
(b) Many Indian papers were charged before the Supreme Court with publishing seditious articles.
(c) In introducing the repressive Act of 1857 Lord Canning made no distinction between publications in Indian vernacular languages and English.
(d) Various repressive Acts were passed by the Government of Lord Lytton.
Answer:
(c) In introducing the repressive Act of 1857 Lord Canning made no distinction between publications in Indian vernacular languages and English.

Question 3.
Statement : Printing press helped dissemination of knowledge. Assertion :
(a) It was the Serampore Press that supplied books to the trainee civilians of the Fort William College.
(b) The Baptist Mission Press started printing books in Bengali and other Indian languages.
(c) It was stated in the Bangal Gazette that diffusion of general knowledge and information amongst the natives ‘must lead to beneficial effects’.
(d) Books translated from English to Bengali facilitated assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures in the country.
Answer:
(a) It was the Serampore Press that supplied books to the trainee civilians of the Fort William College.

Question 4.
Statement : Upendrakishore Roy spearheaded the cultural rejuvenation of Bengal.
Assertion :
(a) Upendrakishore learnt the process of block-making in stages.
(b) In reproducing some illustrations using wood cut in his book Chheleder Ramayana Upendrakishore found that these were very poor.
(c) Upendrakishore was the first to introduce the art of modern blockmaking in India.
(d) Upendrakishore introduced the art of engraving and colour printing in India at a time when these had been developing in Western countries too.
Answer:
(d) Upendrakishore introduced the art of engraving and colour printing in India at a time when these had been developing in Western countries too.

Question 5.
Statement : Rabindranath Tagore felt that under the colonial system of education the child found no joy in learning.
Assertion :
(a) In the colonial system primary and secondary level education the emphasis was on imparting education through the medium of English.
(b) English could hardly evoke any impression in the minds of the learners.
(c) English education hardly touched the core of life of the learners as such education was delinked to child’s living world.
(d) Rabindranath’s approach to education was humanistic as he believed in an inner harmony amongst man, nature and god.
Answer:
(d) Rabindranath’s approach to education was humanistic as he believed in an inner harmony amongst man, nature and god.

Match List I with List II

Question 1.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) First printing press and newspaper	(a) First printing press and newspaper
(b) First newspaper of India in English language	(b) First newspaper of India in English language
(c) Being scared of the criticisms published in the press restrictions imposed	(c) Being scared of the criticisms published in the press restrictions imposed
(d) Not admitted as the first Bengali weekly	(d) Not admitted as the first Bengali weekly

Answer:
(a)-(iii), (b)-(ii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

Question 2.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The first Bengali news weekly	(i) John Adam
(b) Regulation imposed to control the press	(ii) Bangal Gazette
(c) Revocation of Adam’s Press Regulation	(iii) Debendranath Tagore
(d) Tattvabodhini Patrika	(iv) Metcalfe

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iv), (d)-(iii)

Question 3.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Stunning blow to the Indian press in general	(i) Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
(b) Lord Lytton	(ii) Lord Ripon
(c) Revocation of the Vernacular Press Act	(iii) 1857
(d) Varna Parichay	(iv) Vernacular Press Act

Answer:
(a)-(iii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(ii), (d)-(i)

Question 4.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Baptist Mission founded	(i) Upendrakishore Roy
(b) Supply of books to Fort William College	(ii) 1800
(c) Printing Press	(iv) Spread of education
(d) Cultural rejuvenation of Bengal	(iv) Spread of education

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

Question 5.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Pioneer in the art of engraving in the country	(i) Upendrakishore Roy
(b) Art of modern block-making	(ii) Baboo-Ram
(c) First Bangalee to set up printing press in Calcutta	(iii) 1876
(d) Indian Association for the Cultivation of science	(iv) Upendrakishore Roy

Answer:
(a)-(i), (b)-(iv), (c)-(ii), (d)-(iii)

Question 6.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Rashbehari Siksha Prangan	(i) Santiniketan school
(b) Basu Bigyan Mandir	(ii) 1904
(c) National Council of Education	(iii) Rajabazar Science College
(d) Brahmacharyasram	(iv) Bose Institute

Answer:
(a)-(iii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(ii), (d)-(i)

Well structured WBBSE Class 10 History MCQ Questions Chapter 4 Early Stages of Collective Action can serve as a valuable review tool before exams.

Early Stages of Collective Action Class 10 WBBSE MCQ Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (Tick off the correct ones)

Question 1.
How many times did the Indian people raise their voice of protest prior to the Revolt of 1857 ?
a. 49 times
b. 50 times
c. 51 times
d. 54 times
Answer:
d. 54 times

Question 2.
In Bengal who was the first to fire a shot at a European officer in 1857 ?
a. Tantia Tope
b. Mangal Pandey
c. Lakshmi Bai
d. Kunwar Singh
Answer:
b. Mangal Pandey

Question 3.
On which of the following dates did the Revolt of 1857 break out ?
a. 10 March
b. 10 April
c. 10 May
d. 10 June
Answer:
c. 10 May

Question 4.
The Revolt of 1857 broke out first in :
a. Meerut
b. Lucknow
c. Guindy
d. Calcutta
Answer:
a. Meerut

Question 5.
At Kanpur who assumed leadership of the rebel forces during the Revolt of 1857 ?
a. Tantia Tope
b. Nana Sahib
c. Lakshmi Bai
d. Kunwar Singh
Answer:
b Nana Sahib

Question 6.
Of the following who freed parts of Bihar and helped the rebel forces of Lucknow and Kanpur during the Revolt of 1857?
a. Lakshmi Bai
b. Tantia Tope
c. Kunwar Singh
d. None of the above
Answer:
c. Kunwar Singh

Question 7.
Of the following who was declared the ‘Emperor of India’ after the capture of the city of Delhi ?
a. Bahadur Shah I
b. Bahadur Singh
c. Bahadur Shah II
d. Bahadur Aziz
Answer:
c. Bahadur Shah II

Question 8.
Which of the following leaders frustrated by Dalhousie’s policies took part in the Revolt of 1857 ?
a. Rani of Jhansi and Kunwar Singh
b. Rani of Jhansi and Nana Saheb
c. Tantia Tope and Rani of Jhansi
d. None of the above
Answer:
b. Rani of Jhansi and Nana Saheb

Question 9.
Who among the following was responsible for the massacre of the English in Kanpur?
a. Bahadur Shah II
b. Tantia Tope
c. Rani of Jhansi
d. Nana Saheb
Answer:
d. Nana Saheb

Question 10.
Of the following who described the Revolt of 1857 as the ‘Indian War of Independence’?
a. V.D. Savarkar
b. R.C. Majumdar
c. S.B. Chaudhuri
d. S.N. Sen
Answer:
a. V.D. Savarkar

Question 11.
In Bengal the centre of initial spark of the Revolt of 1857 was :
a. Budge Budge
b. Baranagar
c. Barasat
d. Barrackpore
Answer:
d. Barrackpore

Question 12.
By which of the following Acts control of the Indian government passed on from the East India Company to the British Crown?
a. The Charter Act
b. Doctrine of Lapse
c. Act for the Better Government of India
d. None of the above
Answer:
c. Act for the Better Government of India

Question 13.
Under which of the following Governor-Generals did the Revolt of 1857 take place?
a. Warren Hastings
b. Lord Hastings
c. Lord Wellesley
d. Lord Canning
Answer:
d. Lord Canning

Question 14.
Of the following who was the first ‘Viceroy of India’?
a. Lord Wellesley
b. Lord Hastings
c. Lord Canning
d. Lord Curzon
Answer:
c. Lord Canning

Question 15.
Under which of the following was the title ‘Viceroy’ added to the designation of the ‘Governor-General of India’ ?
a. Act for the Better Government of India
b. Queen’s Proclamation
C. Charter Act of 1855
d Government of India Act
Answer:
b. Queen’s Proclamation

Question 16.
What was not one of the consequences of the Revolt of 1857 ?
a. Control of the Indian government passed on to the British Crown
b. Queen’s Proclamation
c. Amalgamation of troops of the Crown and the East India Company
d. The wide gulf between the Indians and Europeans reduced
Answer:
d. The wide gulf between the Indians and Europeans reduced

Question 17.
The first symptoms of political awakening was visible in Bengal with the formation of :
a. Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha
b. Landholders’ Society
c. Zamindary Association
d. Indian Association
Answer:
a Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha

Question 18.
The associations that followed the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha could not survive because of :
a. Governmental non co-operation
b. Suppression by the British government
c. ‘Lack of unity’
d Lack of support of the Bengali intelligentsia
Answer:
c. ‘Lack of unity’

Question 19.
One of the Bengal stalwarts who attended the first meeting of the Landholders’ Society Zamindary Association. was :
a. Rashik Krishna Mallick
b. Shib Nath Shastri
c. Rammohan Roy
d. Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
Answer:
c. Rammohan Roy

Question 20.
Which of the following broadened the political outlook of the educated Indians?
a. Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha
b. Indian Association
c. British Indian Association
d. Landholders’ Society
Answer:
d. Landholders’ Society

Question 21.
Of the following who organized the Indian Association ?
a. Rammohan Roy
b. Surendranath Banerjee
c. Bipin Chandra Pal
d. Keshab Chandra Sen
Answer:
b. Surendranath Banerjee

Question 22.
Of the following who is called the Grandfather of Indian nationalism?
a. Rammohan Roy
b. Keshab Chandra Sen
c. Rajnarayan Bose
d. Nabagopal Mitra
Answer:
c. Rajnarayan Bose

Question 23.
Of the following who made the word ‘national’ popular among the educated Indians?
a. Rajnarayan Bose
b. Nabagopal Mitra
c. Sibnath Shastri
d Bipin Chandra Pal
Answer:
b. Nabagopal Mitra

Question 24.
Of the following who being inspired by a write-up of Rajnarayan Bose established the Jatiya Mela?
a. Rajnarayan Bose
b. Sibnath Shastri
c. Nabagopal Mitra
d. Bipin Chandra Pal
Answer:
c. Nabagopal Mitra

Question 25.
Which of the following by fostereing the spirit of self-help paved the way for foundation of the Indian national movement?
a. Jatiya Mela
b. Swadeshi Mela
c. Hindu Mela
d. None of the above
Answer:
c. Hindu Mela

Question 26.
In which of the following novels that the Indians got the famous song Bande Mataram?
a. Gora
b. Bartaman Bharat
c. Swadesh o Swaraj
d. Anandamath
Answer:
d. Anandamath

Question 27.
The closing para of which of the following novels is titled Swadesh Mantra?
a. Anandamath
b. Gora
c. Paribrajak
d. Bartaman Bharat
Answer:
d. Bartaman Bharat

Question 28.
Of the following the painting that acclaimed as Bharatmata was the creation of :
a. Rabindranath Tagore
b. Jamini Roy
c. Abanindranath Tagore
d. Gaganendranath Tagore
Answer:
c. Abanindranath Tagore

Question 29.
The founder of the Bengal school of painting was :
a. Abanindranath Tagore
b. Ernest Benfield Havell
c. Satyendranath Tagore
d. Gaganendranath Tagore
Answer:
a. Abanindranath Tagore

Tick off True or False

1. The century of British rule, between 1757 and 1857 was a period of total decline in the life of the Indian people.
Answer: True

2. The discontent of all classes of the Indian people found expression in the Revolt of 1856 .
Answer: False

3. Mangal Pandey of the British regiment fired a shot at a European officer on 29 March 1857.
Answer: False

4. The Revolt of 1857 broke out in Meerut in Madhya Pradesh on 10 May 1857.
Answer: False

5. At Kanpur
Nana Saheb assumed the leadership of the rebel forces of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer: False

6. Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi put up stubborn resistance to the British troops.
Answer: True

7. Tantia Tope went to south India and fought desperately against the British soldiers.
Answer: False

8. Kunwar Singh freed parts of Uttar Pradesh and helped the rebel forces of Bihar.
Answer: False

9. One of the features of the Revolt of 1857 was that the revolt of the sepoys was accompanied by a rebellion in the city and countryside.
Answer: True

10. In some areas of Madhya Pradesh and Bihar peasants and artisans rebelled against the British rulers as also the new zamindars who were the creation of the British.
Answer: False

11. The Revolt of 1857 was a failure as there was no plan and no co-ordination among the rebels of different parts of the country.
Answer: True

12. Just like the Indigo Rebellion the middle class intelligentsia came out in the open to support the rebels of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer: False

13. In Bengal Barrackpore, near Calcutta, was the centre of initial spark of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer: True

14. In India, the rule of the English East India Company came to an end with the passing of an Act by the British Parliament.
Answer: True

15. Lord Canning by a Proclamation announced the assumption of the Indian administration by the British Crown.
Answer: False

16. The honorific title of ‘Viceroy’ was added to the designation of the Governor-General by the Act for the Better Government of India.
Answer: False

17. Lord Canning was the first Viceroy of India.
Answer: True

18. The Revolt of 1857 did not lead to any reorganization of the army and civil administration in India.
Answer: True

19. The first symptoms of political awakening was visible in Bengal with the formation of the Indian Association.
Answer: False

20. Jnananneshan, a newspaper published from Calcutta, reported that the members of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha agreed to discuss matters that would adversely affect the country.
Answer: True

21. The Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha of Bengal is regarded as the first political association of India.
Answer: True

22. The constitution of the Indian Association was not at all democratic in form.
Answer: False

23. The ambitious project of the Indian Association to set up branch in every district of British India was bound to be a failure.
Answer: True

24. Foundation of the Bharat Sabha marked the beginning of a new chapter in the history of political association in India.
Answer: True

25. It is said that the pioneer of nationalism in the nineteenth century was Nabagopal Mitra.
Answer: False

26. The religious tone in the Hindu Mela came to be attacked from some quarters.
Answer: True

27. To the founders of the Hindu Mela nationalism meant unity and they believed that the basis of this unity was the Hindu religion.
Answer: True

28. The concept of Bharatmata emerged from the Anandamath of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.
Answer: True

Question 29
Some people accused Bankim Chandra as one who upheld the ideal of aggressive nationalism which had no basis at all.
Answer: True

30. In Bartaman Bharat Vivekananda ends with calling for giving up imitating the Western life-style in dress and manners.
Answer: True

31. The political objective of Gora was the Partition of Bengal, the blaze of national awakening that it meant.
Answer: True

32. Bharatmata was a painting done by Abanindranath Tagore in the Chinese style.
Answer: False

33. Gaganendranath’s cartoons displayed a marvelous originality as drawings.
Answer: True

Fill in the gaps by choosing the correct words

1. The century, between 1757 and 1857 was a period of total _______ in the life of the Indian people.
Answer: Decline

2. At the time of the Revolt disobedience of the sepoys in the army establishments in different places was reported, and on 10 May 1857 the sepoys of _______ broke out in revolt.
Answer: Meerut

3. During the Revolt of 1857 at Kanpur the troops were led by the military advisor _______
Answer: Tantia Tope

4. During the Revolt of 1857 Kunwar Singh freed parts of Bihar and helped the rebel forces of Lucknow and _______
Answer: Kanpur

5. Towards the close of the Revolt _______ was recaptured by the British soldiers in the third week of September 1857.
Answer: Delhi

6. During the Revolt of 1857 the sepoys were accompanied by a rebellion in the city and countryside where the _______ rose in revolt.
Answer: Civilians

7. During Revolt of 1857 in some parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar peasants and artisans rebelled against the British rulers as also the _______ who were the creations of the British themselves.
Answer: Zamindars

8. As regards the character of the revolt of 1857 it may be said that the _______ did not participate in any measure that can legitimately give it the name of a ‘national rising’.
Answer: Common

9. _______ by describing the Revolt of 1857 as the ‘Indian War of Independence’ directly drafted it into the historiography of Indian nationalism.
Answer: Savarkar

10. In Bengal, _______ was the centre of the initial spark of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer: Barrackpore

11. English educated _______ middle class were hostile towards the Revolt of 1857
Answer: Bengali

12. _______ was the Governor-General of India at the time of the Revolt of 1857
Answer: Lord Canning

13. The foundation of the _______ was the result of the attempt made in Bengal to organize discussions on political matters.
Answer: Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha

14. Despite failure of the _______ it paved the way for later organizational attempt at the formation of political association.
Answer: Bangabhasa Prakashika

15. Zamindary Association ostensibly advocated for the interests of the _______
Answer: Zamindars

16. In 1839 the British India Society was established in _______ by William Adam who was a friend and associate of Rammohan Roy.
Answer: London

17. _______ was the key person of the Zamindary Association that changed its name to the Landholders’ Society.
Answer: Dwarakanath Tagore

18. Being inspired by a write up of Rajnarayan Bose, _______ Nabagopal Mitra established the Jatiya Mela.
Answer: Prospectus

19. _______ was affectionately called the ‘Grandfather of Indian nationalism’.
Answer: Rajnarayan Bose

20. _______ by fostering the spirit of self-help paved the way for foundation of the national movement.
Answer: Hindu Mela

21. The Anandamath of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee was written in the shadow of the memory of _______ Rebellion.
Answer: Sannayasi

22. The Bartaman Bharat amplifies and elaborates the ideas on _______
Answer: Society

23. _______ is the largest and the most complex of the novels composed by Rabindranath Tagore.
Answer: Gora

Statement and Assertion

Question 1.
Statement : Under the British colonial rule the discontented people of India broke out in rebellion.
Assertion :
(a) Between 1757 and 1857 the people of India expressed their discontent by way of civil rebellions
(b) The civil rebellions were essentially local in nature and did not assume an all-India character.
(c) Discontent of all classes of Indian people broke out in flames in the Revolt of 1857.
(d) The British found it difficult to suppress the Revolt of 1857
Answer:
(c) Discontent of all classes of Indian people broke out in flames in the Revolt of 1857

Question 2.
Statement : The incident that sparked the Revolt spread in the following days.
Assertion :
(a) Despite order from the European officers none came forward to arrest Mangal Pandey.
(b) Mangal Pandey a sepoy of the Bengal regiment fired a shot at a European military officer.
(c) Mangal Pandey along with those who disobeyed the order were arrested and hanged.
(d) Disobedience of the sepoys in the army establishments were reported.
Answer:
(b) Mangal Pandey a sepoy of the Bengal regiment fired a shot at a European military officer.

Question 3.
Statement : The Revolt of 1857 was joined by different classes of civilian population.
Assertion :
(a) In view of the participation of different classes of people the outbreak of 1857 may better be called the Revolt of 1857
(b) Kunwar Singh freed parts of Bihar and helped the rebel forces of Lucknow and Kanpur.
(c) In several places the common people rose in revolt even before the sepoys raised the banner of rebellion.
(d) In some places the people came forward to fight against the British troops with ordinary weapons.
Answer:
(a) In view of the participation of different classes of people the outbreak of 1857 may better be called the Revolt of 1857.

Question 4.
Statement : Despite the British attempt to create a HinduMuslim divide the two communities fought shoulder to shoulder against the British colonial rulers.
Assertion :
(a) The rebels showed commendable courage and dedication and thousands courted death fighting the colonial rulers.
(b) The Azimgarh Proclamation stated that both Hindu and Muslims were being ruined under the tyranny of the treacherous English.
(c) In some areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar peasantry and the artisans rebelled against the British rulers as also their associates.
(d) The rebels burnt the government records similar to what they did of the accounts book of the moneylenders and sowcars against the British rulers.
Answer:
(b) The Azimgarh Proclamation stated that both Hindu and Muslims were being ruined under the tyranny of the treacherous English

Question 5.
Statement : According to the old school of historians the Revolt of 1857 cannot be called a ‘war of Independence’.
Assertion :
(a) There was no plan, no coordination among the rebels and no road map to establish independent government after the British were expelled.
(b) In the Revolt of 1857 at least some of the zamindars and landlords participated giving it a feudal character.
(c) Common people did not participate in the Revolt of 1857
(d) The Revolt of 1857 basically was a revolt of the sepoys.
Answer:
(a) There was no plan, no coordination among the rebels and no road map to establish independent government after the British were expelled.

Question 6.
Statement : The impact of the Revolt of 1857 was equally felt by the Indians as also the British colonial rulers in India. Assertion :
(a) The rule of the English East India Company on India came to an end.
(b) The Governor-General of India henceforth came to be called ‘Governor-General and Viceroy’.
(c) The new dispensation reorganized the army.
(d) The Queen (Victoria) categorically stated that the British Government in India henceforth will not in any way interfere with the established custom or religion of the Indian people.
Answer:
(d) The Queen (Victoria) categorically stated that the British Government in India henceforth will not in any way interfere with the established custom or religion of the Indian people.

Question 7.
Statement : It was through the political associations of the nineteenth century that India entered into the arena of modern politics.
Assertion :
(a) With the spread of English education it is not surprising that the first political association sprang up.
(b) In a meeting of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha the members agreed to discuss matters that would affect the country adversely.
(c) The meetings of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha used to be held in every Thursday.
(d) The matters discussed in the meetings of the Sabha were published in various newspapers.
Answer:
(b) In a meeting of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha the members agreed to discuss matters that would affect the country adversely.

Question 8.
Statement : The first association of India organized with a specific political outlook was the Zamindary Association (later on Landholders’ Society).
Assertion :
(a) The Zamindary Association, renamed Landholders’ Society, paved the way for raising some issues concerning general people to the English administrators in India.
(b) The Landholders’ Society helped to create some ground of meeting between the landholders and the Englishmen on a footing of equality.
(c) The Landholders’ Society broadened the political outlook of the educated Indians.
(d) The members of the Landholders’ Society failed to realize that in many areas of northern India people were not interested in the Zamindary system at all.
Answer:
(b) The Landholders’ Society helped to create some ground of meeting between the landholders and the Englishmen on a footing of equality.

Question 7.
Statement : The Hindu Mela had immense contribution to the cause of Indian nationalism.
Assertion :
(a) The religious tone of the Hindu Mela came to be attacked from some quarters.
(b) The Hindu Mela drew into national movement personalities like Sibnath Shastri, Bipin Chandra Pal and many others.
(c) The Hindu Mela fostered the spirit of self-help.
(d) The annual sessions of the Hindu Mela were attended by thousands of people.
Answer:
(b) The Hindu Mela drew into national movement personalities like Sibnath Shastri, Bipin Chandra Pal and many others.

Question 8.
Statement : In many ways the Anandamath played a crucial role in the national awareness.
Assertion :
(a) Anandamath was written by Bankim Chandra in the shadow of the memory of the Sannayasi Rebellion.
(b) Some people accuse Bankim Chandra as one who advocated aggressive Hinduism.
(c) Anandamath was the Bible for secret revolutionaries who laid down their lives for the cause of the nation.
(d) The concept of Bharatmata (Mother as the symbol of the country) emerges from the Anandamath.
Answer:
(c) Anandamath was the Bible for secret revolutionaries who laid down their lives for the cause of the nation.

Match List I with List II

Question 1.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Revolt of the Bengal regiment in Calcutta	(i) Kanpur
(b) Revolt of 1857	(ii) Jhansi
(c)Nana Saheb’s leadership of the rebel forces	(iii) Mangal Pandey
(d) Rani Lakshmi Bai’s resistance	(iv) Meerut

Answer:
(a)-(iii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(i), (d)-(ii)

Question 2.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Help to the rebel forces of Lucknow and Kanpur	(i) V.D. Savarkar
(b) Delhi was recaptured	(ii) Kunwar Singh
(c) Attempts made to create a Hindu-Muslim divide	(iii) British
(d) ‘Indian War of Independence’	(iv) British

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

Question 3.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) No support to the rebels of the Revolt of 1857	(i) ‘Governor-General and Viceroy’
(b) Immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857	(ii) Bengali intellectuals
(c) Impact of the Revolt of 1857	(iii) Enfield Rifle issue
(d) Queen’s Proclamation	(iv) End of the Company’s rule

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

Question 4.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Initial spark of the Revolt of 1857	(i) Queen’s Proclamation
(b) End of the Company’s rule	(ii) Canning
(c) First Viceroy of India	(iii) Act for the Better Government in India
(d) No further territorial expansion in India	(iv) Barrackpore

Answer:
(a)-(iv), (b)-(iii), (c)-(ii), (d)-(i)

Question 5.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) First symptoms of political awakening	(i) Jnananneshan
(b) First political Association in India	(ii) Bengal
(c) The newspaper edited by Dakshina Ranjan Mukherjee	(iii) Iswar Chandra Gupta
(d) Sambad Prabhakar	(iv) Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(i), (d)-(iii)

Question 5.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Impact of the activities of the Indian Association (Bharat Sabha)	(i) National Society
(b) ‘Grandfather of Indian nationalism’	(ii) Repressive laws
(c) The greater orator of the contemporary times	(iii) Rajnarayan Bose
(d) Hindu Mela	(iv) Monomohon Bose

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

Question 6.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Bartaman Bharat	(i) Abanindranath Tagore
(b) Gora	(ii) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
(c) Anandamath	(iii) Rabindranath Tagore
(d) Bharatmata	(iv) Vivekananda

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

Question 7.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Bande Mataram	(i) Bartaman Bharat
(b) Swadesh Mantra	(ii) Anandamath
(c) Original painting done in	(iii) Spirituality
(d) The rosary in the hand of Bharatmata	(iv) Jagadish Chandra Bose’s parlour

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iv), (d)-(iii)

Well structured WBBSE Class 10 History MCQ Questions Chapter 3 Resistance and Rebellion can serve as a valuable review tool before exams.

Resistance and Rebellion Class 10 WBBSE MCQ Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (Tick off the correct ones)

Question 1.
The first attempt of the British colonists to establish control over forests was made by :
a. Forest Act of 1864
b. First Charter Act of 1855
c. Forest Act of 1865
d. Forest Act of 1878
Answer:
b First Charter Act of 1855

Question 2.
The Forest Act of 1878 divided Indian forests into which of the following categories?
a. Two categories
b. Three categories
c. Four categories
d Five categories
Answer:
b. Three categories

Question 3.
Which of the following suffered most as a consequence of the Forest Act?
a. Villagers
b. Agriculturists
c. Jhum cultivators
d. Wood-cutters
Answer:
c. Jhum cultivators

Question 4.
Which of the following is not applicable to the protests of the tribals against the forest laws?
a. Uprising
b. Insurgence
c. Mutiny
d. Rebellion
Answer:
d. Rebellion

Question 5.
Of the following which paved the way for settlement of land revenue on a permanent basis?
a. Gudem revolt
b. Chuar rebellion
C. Rangpur rebellion
d. Santhal rebellion
Answer:
c. Rangpur rebellion

Question 6.
Which of the following ultimately led the Chuars to burst out in rebellion?
a. Oppressions of the British rulers
b. Provision of the sun-set laws
c. Conversion of paikan into rent paying land
d. Levy of high land-revenue
Answer:
c. Conversion of paikan into rent paying land

Question 7.
Bheels of which of the following areas burst out in rebellion ?
a. Maharashtra
b. State of Dhar
c. Khandesh
d. Gujarat
Answer:
b State of Dhar

Question 8.
Under which of the following leader did the Santhals raise the banner of rebellion?
a. Dursut
b. Chil Naik
c. Hiria
d. Kanu
Answer:
d. Kanu

Question 9.
Of the following those who lent support to the rebel Santhals were :
a. Adivasis
b Local people
C. Chamars
d Carpenters
Answer:
c. Chamars

Question 10.
Of the following who was the leader of the rebel ryots of Rangpur?
a. Debi Singh
b. Dirjinarain
c Kanu
d. Sidhu
Answer:
b Dirjinarain

Question 11.
Of the following who was the Ijaradar against whom the ryots of Rangpur had a number of grievances?
a. Debi Singh
b. Durjan Singh
c. Dirjinarain
d. Madara Mahato
Answer:
a. Debi Singh

Question 12.
Of the following which section of people burst out in rebellion after the British occupied Khandesh ?
a. Chuar
b. Santhal
c. Kol
d. Bheel
Answer:
d Bheel

Question 13.
Of the following which was the area where the Kol tribals settled?
a. Khandesh
b. Chotonagpur
c. Santhal Parganas
d. Bankura
Answer:
b. Chotonagpur

Question 14.
The Bheel leader who was apprehended by the British was :
a. Durjan Singh
b. Bhalla Singh
c. Nadir Singh
d None of the above
Answer:
c. Nadir Singh

Question 15.
The Kol rebellion was occasioned by which of the following ?
a. Oppression of the British
b. Oppression of the local zamindars
c. Oppression of the money-lenders
d. Agrarian discontent
Answer:
d. Agrarian discontent

Question 16.
One of the leaders of the Kol rebels was :
a. Kanu
b. Bhundu Bhakat
c. Majnu Shah
d. Birsa Munda
Answer:
b. Bhundu Bhakat

Question 17.
The ultimate goal or objective of the rebel Santhals was :
a. To get rid of the moneylenders
b. To take possession of their habitat
c. To drive out the British officials
d. To bring an end to the British rule
Answer:
d. To bring an end to the British rule

Question 18.
In his youth Birsa Munda earned reputation first as a :
a. Preacher
b. Prophet
c. ‘Healer’
d. Leader
Answer:
c. ‘Healer’

Question 19.
Of the following what was stated to be the goal of the Mundari movement?
a. Uprooting of the Police stations
b. Independent mundaraj
c. To drive out the British from the area
d. To bring back golden age
Answer:
b. Independent mundaraj

Question 20.
The leader of the Sannyasi rebel was :
a. Bhawani Pathak
b. Majnu Shah
c. Dirjinarain
d. Debi Singh
Answer:
a. Bhawani Pathak

Question 21.
Of the following the rebellion that broke out prior to the Revolt of 1857 was :
a. Kol Rebellion
b. Santhal Rebellion
c. Munda Rebellion
d. Pabna Revolt
Answer:
b. Santhal Rebellion

Question 22.
Of the following rebels who made an attack upon the English officers?
a. The Fakirs of Barisal
b. The Garos of Pagal-Panthi sect
c. The Sannyasis of Burdwan
d. The Santals of Chotonagpur
Answer:
c. The Sannyasis of Burdwan

Question 23.
Of the following who founded the Pagal-Panthi sect ?
a. Majnu Shah
b. Karam Shah
C. Dirjinarain
d. Debi Singh
Answer:
b. Karam Shah

Question 24.
After the death of Karam Shah the leadership of the Garos of the Pagal-Panthi sect was taken over by :
a. Tipu
b. Majnu Shah
c. Dirjinarain
d. Debi Singh
Answer:
a. Tipu

Question 25.
The real cause of discontent of the Garos of the Pagal-Panthi sect was :
a. Oppressions of the British soldiers
b. Oppressions of the local zamindar
c. Oppressions of the thikadars
d. Tax levied became unbearable
Answer:
d. Tax levied became unbearable

Question 26.
Of the following who was the founder of the Wahabi Movement?
a. Haji Shariatullah
b. Syed Ahmed Barelvi
c. Abdul Wahab of Najd
d. Mir Nisar Ali
Answer:
c. Abdul Wahab of Najd

Question 27.
Of the following who carried the Wahabi Movement to Bengal ?
a. Haji Shariatullah
b. Syed Ahmed Barelvi
c. Abdul Wahab of Najd
d. Mir Nisar Ali
Answer:
d. Mir Nisar Ali

Question 28.
Of the following who built the fortress with bamboo and mud?
a. Haji Shariatullah
b. Syed Ahmed Barelvi
c. Abdul Wahab of Najd
d. Titumir
Answer:
d. Titumir

Question 29.
The real founder the the Wahabi Movement in India was :
a. Haji Shariatullah
b. Syed Ahmed Barelvi
c. Abdul Wahab of Najd
d. Mir Nisar Ali
Answer:
b. Syed Ahmed Barelvi

Question 30.
In which of the following years did the Barasat Rebellion break out ?
a. 1827
b. 1830
c. 1831
d. 1835
Answer:
c. 1831

Question 31.
In which of the following places did the Indigo Rebellion break out first?
a. Pura
b. Nadia
c. Barasat
d. Chaugacha
Answer:
d. Chaugacha

Question 32.
The foremost of the leaders of the Indigo Rebellion of Bengal was :
a. Ramratan Mallick
b. Mahesh Chandra Chattopadhyay
c. Digambar Biswas
d. Harish Chandra Mukhopadhyay
Answer:
c. Digambar Biswas

Question 33.
Outside Bengal the centre of the Indigo Rebellion was :
a. Rajgir
b. Champaran
c. Nadia
d. Darbhanga
Answer:
b. Champaran

Question 34.
Of the following peasants’ revolt the one that broke out due to enhancement of rent by the zamindars was :
a. Santhal Rebellion
b. Indigo Rebellion
c. Wahabi Movement
d. Pabna Revolt
Answer:
d. Pabna Revolt

Tick off True or False

1. The Forest Charter of 1855 made the teak wood government property.
Answer: True

2. The Forest Acts meant immense hardship to the urban people.
Answer: False

3. The Forest laws adversely affected the jhum cultivators.
Answer: True

4. The tribals protested against the Forest Acts by taking by illegally violating the provisions of the law.
Answer: True

5. An ‘uprising’ may be described as a protest against authority in a non-violent manner.
Answer: False

6. Revolution brings about fundamental changes.
Answer: True

7. Rangpur Revolt was basically a protest of the zamindars against the imposition of high rate of revenue by the colonial government.
Answer: False

8. Debi Singh, the revenue-collector of Rangpur, forced the ryots to pay land-revenue at an increased rate.
Answer: True

9. The protest of the tribals against the Forest Acts may be termed as ‘revolution’.
Answer: False

10. Rangpur Revolt basically was a protest of the peasants of Rangpur against the oppressions of the zamindar.
Answer: False

11. The ryots of Rangpur were forced to raise the banner of rebellion as the petitions sent to the district authorities for redressal of their grievances received no attention.
Answer: True

12. The tribal community of India as distinguished from the peasantry were not really peasants.
Answer: False

13. The Chuars were the tribals living in the territorial limits of south-west Bankura, north-west Medinipur.
Answer: True

14. As the Chuars were basically peasants they did not align themselves with Durjan Singh who was a zamindar.
Answer: False

15. The Chuars acted as the private army or paik of the zamindars and as such enjoyed rent-free land, i.e. paikan.
Answer: True

16. The Bheels of Khandesh resorted to plunder and loot of rich landholders in their vicinity.
Answer: True

17. Of the insurgent Bheel leaders mention may be made of Durjan Singh.
Answer: False

18. The Kol tribesmen grew restive over the increasing encroachment on tribal territories by the non-tribals like Jats and moneylenders.
Answer: False

19. In 1832 there were clashes between the British armed forces and the Kol rebels.
Answer: True

20. In their fight against the British soldiers the Kol tribesmen were joined by other tribesmen like Oraon, Ho and others.
Answer: True

21. Being unable to get justice through the law courts the Santhals took up arms against the British and their agents.
Answer: True

22. In Santali language the term hool means rebellion as such the Santhal rebellion is also known as Santhal Hool.
Answer: True

23. The Santhal Hool spread like wildfire before the British surrendered to the Santhals after a month-long battle.
Answer: False

24. The Santhal rebellion was the first organized resistance of the kind against the feudal oppressors.
Answer: True

25. Birsa the ‘healer’, the miracle-worker and preacher grew into a prophet.
Answer: True

26. The ancient system of forced labour was known as beth-begari among the tribals.
Answer: False

27. In the first stage of his career Birsa, as a preacher, predicted the coming of a golden age.
Answer: True

28. The Ulghulan or great revolt of the Mundas began when Birsa called upon his fellowmen to ‘rise, drive out or slay all the foreignets’.
Answer: True

29. The main centres of the Santhal Hool were Tamar, Tepa gand Khuti of the Ranchi district (in present Jharkhand)
Answer: True

30. Legal rights on land that the Mundas derived through the fool was an important outcome.
Answer: True

31. The characterisíic feature of the Mundari movement lies in the fact that the ideal of an independent Mundaraj set forth by Birsa was basically anti-British.
Answer: True

32. As a consequence of the Mundari movement the colonial British government in India was compelled to intratyce certain economic reforms.
Answer: False

33. The rebel sannyasis were led by Bhawani Pathak.
Answer: True

34. The leader of The rebellious fakirs was Dirji Shah
Answer: False

35. The Sannyasi and Fakir rebellions proceeded along two phases, namely, before and after the Bengal Famine
Answer: True

36. The British rulers imposed ban on the movement of the Sannyasis and Fakirs.
Answer: True

37. Breakdown of the economy of Bengal that led to the economic distress provoked the Sannyasis and Fakirs to burst out in rebellion.
Answer: True

38. The Pagal-Panthi religious sect was founded by a mendicant named Majnu Shah.
Answer: False

39. The Garos of the Pagal-Panthi sect burst out in rebellion against the oppressions of the zamindar of Sherpur.
Answer: True

40. The founder of the Ferazi community in Bengal was Haji Shariatullah.
Answer: True

41. The founder of the Wahabi Movement zas Muhammad Abdul Wahab of Najd (of Arabia).
Answer:
True

42. A believer in the Wahabi ideal Titumir directed his energies in organizing the peasants of Bengal against the oppressions of the zamindars, moneylenders and other agents of the British.
Answer: True

43. The Ferazi movement was unsuccessful 2.5 they had no political training.
Answer: True

44. The real name of the Wahabi Movement was Tariqah-iMuhammad.
Answer: False

45. The Wahabi Movement initiated by Syed Ahmed Barelvi was designed to revive the ways of the Prophet.
Answer: True

46. Syed Ahmed Barelvi, through the Wahabi Movement, wanted to convert the country to an ‘unholy land’
Answer: False

47. The Battle of Balakot was fought between the Wahabis and the Sikhs of Punjab.
Answer: True

48. The Indigo Revolt of Bengal broke out at a time prior to the Revolt of 1857
Answer: False

49. Peasants were evicted from villages with a view to augmenting the indigo plantation area.
Answer: True

50. Foremost among the leaders of the Indigo Revolt were Digambar Biswas and Bishnu Charan Biswas.
Answer: True

51. The Bengali middle class intelligentsia did not support the rebellious Santhals, but lend support to the indigo rebels.
Answer: True

52. Harish Chandra Mukhopadhyay as an editor of the Hindu Patriot had no hesitation in making public the grievances of the indigo cultivators.
Answer: True

53. The Tenancy Act of 1859 did not allow occupancy right to the peasants but allowed zamindars the right to increase rent at their sweet-will.
Answer: True

54. In the Pabna Revolt leadership came from the rich peasants, jotedars, village headmen and others.
Answer: True

Fill in the gaps by choosing the correct words

1. The most concrete outcome of colonialism related to global control of _____
Answer: Resources

2. The Forest Acts meant hardship to the _____
Answer: Villagers

3. A rebellion may be defined as a violent uprising of the _____ for a change even to a system of government.
Answer: Masses

4. The Rangpur Revolt was basically a protest of the peasants of Rangpur against the oppressions of the _____
Answer: Ijaradar

5. The rebel Chuars threw their lot with Durjan Singh who was a dispossessed _____
Answer: Zamindar

6. The British Government with a view to bringing an end to the anarchical condition created by the Bheels _____ Khandesh.
Answer: Occupied

7. In 1831 the _____ tribesmen of Chotonagpur burst out in rebellion.
Answer: Kol

8. The Kol insurrection started in 1831 when the farm of two ________ thikadars was plundered and burnt.
Answer: Sikh

9. The term ________ may be well applied to the Santhal Hool.
Answer: Rebellion

10. An important feature of the Santhal Hool was the support the Santhals received from the ________ and such others.
Answer: Doms

11. The Mundas very much resented the breakdown of their ________ system under the British rule.
Answer: Agrarian

12. Birsa Munda’s reputation in his youth as a ________ earned him popularity.
Answer: Healer

13. Within a short time after the Munda Rebellion the peasants of rulers ________ were successful to wrest similar rights from the foreign
Answer: Bihar

14. The discontent of the _____ against the British rulers remained smouldering in their hearts for many years following the Ulghulan.
Answer: Mundas

15. The Sannyasis and Fakirs were very much a part of the Indian _________
Answer: Society

16. ________ was the leader of the rebellious Fakirs.
Answer: Majnu Shah

17. The ________ of the Sannyasis and Fakirs was due to their economic distress.
Answer: Insurgency

18. It was a mendicant named ________ who founded the religious sect named Pagal-Panthis.
Answer: Karam Shah

19. Wahabi Movement of Bengal began with the rising in ________
Answer: Barasat

20. The Wahabi Movement was founded in ________
Answer: Arabia

21. The oppressive ________ were the targets of the insurgent Wahabis.
Answer: Zamindars

22. According to Syed Ahmed Barelvi, under the British rule India had become a ________
Answer: Unholy land

23. Apart from Bengal the other centre of indigo cultivation was ________
Answer: Bihar

24. The English translation of the drama Neel Darpan was actually done by ________
Answer: Michael Madhusudan Datta

25. It was for the first time that the Bengali ________ came out in the open to support the oppressed indigo cultivators.
Answer: Middle class

26. The Tenancy Act of 1859 did not allow ________ right to the peasants, while the zamindars were allowed to enhance rent freely.
Answer: Occupancy

Statement and Assertion

Question 1.
Statement : The Forest Acts meant hardship for all the classes of people associated with forest.
Assertion :
(a) The tribal women were disturbed as they were unable to cook food using fuel-wod collected from forests.
(b) The tribals petitioned to the government to repeal the Forest Acts.
(c) The villagers continued their activities by breaking the law.
(d) A major revolt was organized by the tribesmen of Gudem and Rampa.
Answer:
(a) The tribal women were disturbed as they were unable to cook food using fuel-wod collected from forests.

Question 2.
Statement : The Rangpur Rebellion was basically a protest of the peasants against the oppressions of the ijaradar.
Assertion :
(a) The petitions sent by the ryots being of no avail they took recourse to agitation:
(b) The Rangpur Rebellion paved the way for the settlement of landrevenue on a permanent basis.
(c) Debi Singh, the ijaradar, forced the ryots to pay land-revenue at an increased rate.
(d) The ryots assembled together and declared Dirjinarain as their leader.
Answer:
(c) Debi Singh, the ijaradar, forced the ryots to pay landrevenue at an increased rate.

Question 3.
Statement : The rebellious Chuars aligned themselves with zamindar in their struggle against the British Government in India.
Assertion :
(a) The Chuars acted as the private army of the local zamindars.
(b) The British Government forcibly converted the paikan into rent paying land.
(c) The paikan was rent-free land.
(d) Durjan Singh, the ijaradar, assembled a body of 2000 Chuars who set fire to the market-place and raided the countryside of Bankura and Medinipur.
Answer:
(d) Durjan Singh, the ijaradar, assembled a body of 2000 Chuars who set fire to the market-place and raided the countryside of Bankura and Medinipur.

Question 4.
Statement : The peaceful life of the Santals was disturbed by the foreign rulers as also their agents.
Assertion :
(a) Redress of their grievances being of no avail the Santals raised the banner of rebellion.
(b) The rebellion of the Santals, in their language was called the ‘Santal Hool’.
(c) The Santal rebels took up arms against the oppressors and set the goal of independence driving out the alien rulers as also their agents from the area.
(d) The Santal Hool had an anti-British character.
Answer:
(c) The Santal rebels took up arms against the oppressors and set the goal of independence driving out the alien rulers as also their agents from the area.

Question 5.
Statement : Revolt of the Pagal-Panthi religious sect is an example how the peasants burst into rebellion against the oppressions of the zamindars.
Assertion :
(a) Pagal-Panthi was a religious sect founded by a mendicant,Karam Shah.
(b) Karam Shah’s doctrine found popularity with the Garo hill tribes.
(c) The tax-hike made by the zamindar of Sherpur caused discontent among the Pagal-Panthi Garos.
(d) Revolt of the Pagal-Panthis yielded result as under instructions from the British Government the zamindar was compelled to withdraw the increased amount of land-revenue.
Answer:
(d) Revolt of the Pagal-Panthis yielded result, for, under instructions from the British Government the zamindar was compelled to withdraw the increased amount of land-revenue.

Question 6.
Statement : In the name of religion Dudumiyan declared that tie Zamindars had no right to levy tax on the cultivators, tenants or pensantis.
Assertion :
(a) The Ferazi Movement remained confined to a mere religious reform movement.
(b) Zamindars increased oppression on the peasants who had Ferazi leanings.
(c) The Ferazi Movement was basically an agrarian movement.
(d) The movement began as a religious one, later on it was strengthened by the participation of the peasant masses.
Answer:
(d) The movement began as a religious one, later on it was strengthened by the participation of the peasant masses.

Question 7.
Statement : The Indigo Revolt may be regarded as an important chapter in the history of organized political movement in India.
Assertion :
(a) The peasants were unwilling to cultivate indigo as they did not get the wage equal to their labour.
(b) The Indigo Revolt is important because for the first time considerable interest and support was shown by the Bengali middle class to the cause of the indigo cultivators.
(c) The powerful European indigo planters forced the peasants to grow indigo.
(d) The indigo planters did not hesitate to convert the best food-growing area into indigo cultivation resulting in decline in food production.
Answer:
(b) The Indigo Revolt is important because for the first time considerable interest and support was shown by the Bengall middle class to the cause of the indigo cultivators.

Match List I with List II

Question 1.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The Bengali periodical that gave (a) The Forest Acts meant hardship to the villagers across the country.	(i) Neel Darpan (i) Rangpur Revolt
(b) Protest of the tribesmen against the penetration of state in forest.	(ii) Sufferings of the Jhum cultivators
(c) Reaction of the adivasi against the Forest laws.	(iii) Gudem and Rampa
(d) Revolt against the oppressions of the jjaradar.	(iv) Uprising

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

Question 2.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The Rangpur Revolt of the peasants was against an Ijaradar	(i) Dirjinarain
(b) Leadership of the rebel peasants of Rangpur	(ii) Debi Singh
(c) Rebelious Chuars aligned them with zamindar	(iii) Chuar Rebellion
(d) Take-over of the paikan land by the colonial government	(iv) Duijan Singh

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iv), (d)-(iii)

Question 3.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) A section of the backward and warlike community of Central India	(i) Chil Naik
(b) Leder of the Bheel Revolt	(ii) Bheel
(c) In 1832 the Bheels burst out in rebellion	(iii) Colonial rulers and their agents
(d) Exploitation of the Kol tribesmen of Chotonagpur	(iv) State of Dhar

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iv), (d)-(iii)

Question 4.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Beginning of the Kol insurrection	(i) Rebellion
(b) Leadership of the Kol rebels	(ii) Hos, Oraons, etc.
(c) Some other tribesmen supported the Kol rebels	(iii) Plunder the farm of two Sikh thikadars
(d) The Santa! Hool	(iv) Buddhu Bhagat, Joa Bhagat, etc.

Answer:
(a)-(iii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(ii), (d)-(i)

Question 5.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The traditional socio-economic foundation of the tribals was shattered	(i) Beth-begari
(b) The medieval system prevalent tribals under the British amongst the	(ii) ‘neighbours’
(c) Munda Movement	(iii) Mundaraj
(d) Birsa’s objective	(iv) 1858

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iv), (d)-(iii)

Question 6.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Ban on the movement	(i) A religious sect
(b) Objectives of the Sannayasis and Fakirs prior to the Bengal Femine	(ii) Sannayasis and Fakirs
(c) Pagal-Panthis	(iii) Loot of property
(d) Leader of the Pagal-Panthis	(iv) Tipu

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

Question 7.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Wahabi Movement of Bengal	(i) Zamindars
(b) Origin of the Wahabi Movement	(ii) Barasat
(c) Titumir	(iii) Arabia
(d) Target of the Wahabi insurgents	(iv) Banser Kella

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

Question 8.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Ferazi, a kindered brotherhood	(i) Wahabis and the Sikhs
(b) Unsuccessful Feraji Movement	(ii) Syed Ahmed Barelvi
(c) Wahabi Movement in India	(iii) Lack of political training
(d) Battle of Balakot	(iv) Haji Shariatullah

Answer:
(a)-(iv), (b)-(iii), (c)-(ii), (d)-(i)

Question 9.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The Indigo Rebellion in Bengal	(i) 1859
(b) Indigo cultivators were reduced to a state of slavery	(ii) Digambar Biswas
(c) The Indigo Rebellion breaks ou	(iii) Chaugacha
(d) A leader of the Indigo Rebellion	(iv) The European indigo planters

Answer:
(a)-(iii), (b)-(iv), (c)-(i), (d)-(ii)

Question 10.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) An eye-witness account of popular struggle for publication in Hindu Patriot	(i) Neel Darpan
(b) A popular drama projecting oppressions on the indigo cultivators	(ii) Sisir Kumar Ghosh
(c) Passive resistance by the Indigo cultivators	(iii) Pabna Revolt
(d) A Hindu-Muslim joint struggle against the zamindars	(iv) Forerunner of the operation Movement

Answer:
(a)-(ii), (b)-(i), (c)-(iv), (d)-(iii)

Well structured WBBSE Class 10 History MCQ Questions Chapter 2 Reform: Characteristics and Observations can serve as a valuable review tool before exams.

Reform: Characteristics and Observations Class 10 WBBSE MCQ Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (Tick off the correct ones)

Question 1.
Which of the following published articles on contemporary social problems and social reforms?
a. Somprakash
b. Jnandarshan
c. Bangadarshan
d. Prabashi
Answer:
b. Jnandarshan

Question 2.
Of the following periodicals that helped to bring about women’s progress in education was:
a. Bamabodhini
b. Hindu Patriot
c. Grambarta Prakashika
d. Somprakash
Answer:
a. Bamabodhini

Question 3.
Which of the following published articles that included definition and character of ‘new Bengali women’ was ?
a. Prabashi
b. Sabuj Patra
c. Bamabodhini
d. Jnandarshan
Answer:
c. Bamabodhini

Question 4.
Of the following which was first published under the editorship of Girish Chandra Ghosh ?
a. Bamabodhini
b. Hindu Patriot
c. Grambarta Prakashika
d. Bangadarshan
Answer:
b. Hindu Patriot

Question 5.
Which of the following expressed the opinion that the Hindu marriage law imposed disability on the part of the girls in exercising their right to marry on their own initiative?
a. Somprakassh
b. Jnandarshan
c. Bangadarshan
d. Hindu Patriot
Answer:
d. Hindu Patriot

Question 6.
Which of the following under the editorship of Krishnadas raised voice against the British government’s action in muzzling the press ?
a. Hindu Patriot
b. Jnandarshan
c. Bangadarshan
d. Prabashillw
Answer:
a. Hindu Patriot

Question 7.
Of the following who was the author of Hutom Pyanchar Naksha?
a. Girish Chandra Ghosh
b. Kaliprasanna Sinha
c. Harish Chandra Ghosh
d. Umesh Chandra Datta
Answer:
b. Kaliprasanna Sinha

Question 8.
Of the following who ridiculed the Europeans in Kolkata for their fear of the Revolt of 1857 and for exaggerating atrocities perpetrated by the rebels?
a. Girish Chandra Ghosh
b. Kaliprasanna Sinha
c. Dinabandhu Mitra
d. Harish Chandra Mukherjee
Answer:
b. Kaliprasanna Sinha

Question 9.
Of the following who was the most promising journalist of contemporary Bengal under whom the Hindu Patriot became the leading news weekly of Bengal ?
a. Girish Chandra Ghosh
b. Kaliprasanna Sinha
c. Dinabandhu Mitra
d. Harish Chandra Mukherjee
Answer:
d. Harish Chandra Mukherjee

Question 10.
In which of the following books did the turmoil in Bengal society during the 19th century find expression?
a. Grambarta Prakashika
b. Neel Darpan
c. Sabuj Patra
d. Hutom Pyancher Naksha
Answer:
d. Hutom Pyancher Naksha

Question 11.
Of the following who was the author of Neel Darpan ?
a. Girish Chandra Ghosh
b. Kaliprasanna Sinha
c. Dinabandhu Mitra
d. Harish Chandra Mukherjee
Answer:
C. Dinabandhu Mitra

Question 12.
Of the following who raised voice of protest against the European indigo planters ?
a. Dwarakanath Tagore
b. Kaliprasanna Sinha
c. Dinabandhu Mitra
d. Harish Chandra Mukherjee
Answer:
c. Dinabandhu Mitra

Question 13.
Of the following journals which was published by Kangal Harinath Majumder ?
a. Hindu Patriot
b. Sabuj Patra
c. Bamabodhini
d. Grambarta Prakashika
Answer:
d. Grambarta Prakashika

Question 14.
Which of the following exposed to the public the miserable condition of the villagers under the British rule?
a. Bamabodhini
b. Sabuj Patra
c. Grambarta Prakashika
d. Hindu Patriot
Answer:
c. Grambarta Prakashika

Question 15.
Which of the following is considered as the beginning of Western education in India ?
a. Charter Act of 1813
b. Charter Act of 1823
c. Charter Act of 1833
d. Charter Act of 1854
Answer:
a. Charter Act of 1813

Question 16.
Of the following one of the members of the Anglicist party was:
a. Princep
b. Elliot
c. Saunders
d. Southerland
Answer:
c. Saunders

Question 17.
Which of the following finally led to the declaration of official educational policy by Bentinck?
a. Charter Act of 1833
b. Macaulay’s Minute of 1835
c. Charter Act of 1854
d. Anglicist-Orientalist controversy
Answer:
b. Macaulay’s Minute of 1835

Question 18.
In which of the following years was Calcutta Medical College established?
a. 1813
b. 1823
c. 1835
d. 1854
Answer:
c. 1835

Question 19.
Of the following the first Indian to feel the need for English education was :
a. Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
b. Rammohan Roy
c. Derozio
d. Radhakanta Dev
Answer:
b. Rammohan Roy

Question 20.
Of the following who was the leader of the conservatives of the contemporary Bengal and defended everything that passed as Hinduism?
a. Rammohan Roy
b. Narendra Dev
c. Radhakanta Dev
d. Radharaman Dev
Answer:
c. Radhakanta Dev

Question 21.
Of the following who insisted that study and morals of the students should be the primary concern of the teachers?
a. Rammohan Roy
b. Radhakanta Dev
c. Debendranath Tagore
d. Drinkwater Beathune
Answer:
b. Radhakanta Dev

Question 22.
Of the following who was a great patron of female education ?
a. Radhakanta Dev
b. Debendranath Tagore
c. Derozio
d. Drinkwater Bethune
Answer:
d. Drinkwater Bethune

Question 23.
Of the following who had a big hand in framing the rules and regulations of the Hindu College?
a. Rammohan Roy
b. David Hare
c. Radhakanta Dev
d. Derozio
Answer:
c. Radhakanta Dev

Question 24.
The organization that took initiative to print and publish text books in both English and Bengali was :
a. Hindu College
b. Serampore College
c. School Society
d. School Book Society
Answer:
d. School Book Society

Question 25
The Hindu College was founded in :
a. 1813
b. 1815
c. 1817
d. 1854
Answer:
c. 1817

Question 27.
Who rendered all possible help to Bethune for setting up of a girls’ college in Kolkata?
a. Rammohan Roy
b Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
c. Keshab Chandra Sen
d Derozio
Answer:
b. Iswarchandra Vidyasagar

Question 28.
Of the following what led to the foundation of universities in India ?
a. Charter Act of 1813
b Macaulay’s Minute
c Wood’s Dispatch
d Calcutta University Act
Answer:c. Wood’s Dispatch

Question 29
The first Chancellor of the University of Calcutta was :
a. Lord Bentinck
b Lord Canning
c. Asutosh Mukherjee
d. Lord Amherst
Answer:
b. Lord Canning

Question 30.
The first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta was :
a. James William Colvile
b. Asutosh Mukherjee
c. Jadunath Sarkar
d S. Radhakrishnan
Answer:
a. James william Colvile

Question 31.
Of the following who was the first to dissect the corpse of human body?
a. Nilratan Sircar
b Jagadish Chandra Bose
c. Prafulla Chandra Roy
d. Madhusudan Gupta
Answer:
d. Madhusudan Gupta

Question 32.
Of the folloing who took up the leadership of the Brahmo Movement after the death of Rammohan Roy ?
a. Keshab Chandra Sen
b Radhakanta Dev
c. Debendranath Tagore
d. Bipin Chandra Pal
Answer:
c. Debendranath Tagore

Question 33.
The Brahmo leader who condemned polygamy, was :
a. Rammohan Roy
c Keshab Chandra Sen
b Debendranath Tagore
d Bijay Krishna Goswami
Answer:
c. Keshab Chandra Sen

Question 34.
Of the following who prohibited sati before the Company’s government enacted law declaring sati illegal ?
a. The Court of Directors
b The Christian missionaries
c. Brahmo Samaj
d None of the above
Answer:
b. The Christian missionaries

Question 35.
In which year was sati declared illegal by the Regulation XVII ?
a. 1829
b. 1855
c. 1856
d. 1858
Answer:
a. 1829

Question 36.
The first of the associations founded by Derozio was :
a Society for the Acquisition of General Knowledge
b Academic Association
c Sadharan Jnanoparjika Sabha
d Epistolary Association
Answer:
b Academic Association

Question 37.
Of the Young Bengal who composed the Fakir of Jhungeera?
a Rashik Krishna Mallick
b. Krishnamohan Banerjee
c Radhanath Sikdar
d. Derozio
Answer:
d. Derozio

Question 38.
When was finally the Hindu widow remarriage legalized by Act XV ?
a. 1813
b. 1823
c. 1854
d. 1856
Answer:
d. 1856

Question 39.
Who compiled the tenets of Brahmoism in two volumes that gave new life to Brahmoism as a new religion?
a. Rammohan Roy
b. Keshab Chandra Sen
c Debendranath Tagore
d. Bijay Krishna Goswami
Answer:
c Debendranath Tagore

Question 40.
Of the following who said that the East was spiritual and the West was materialistic ?
a Rammohan Roy
b. Bijay Krishna Goswami
c Ramakrishnadeva
d. Vivekananda
Answer:
d Vivekananda

Tick off True or False

1. Bamabodhini, the periodical, helped to bring about men’s progress in education and social matters.
Answer: False

2. Hindu Patriot was an English weekly published from Kolkata and was a famous paper of Bengal
Answer: True

3. The Hindu Patriot, under the editorship of Harish Chandra raised its voice against the British Government’s action in muzzling the press.
Answer: False

4. Some satirical sketches of a Kolkata city life is to be found in the Hotom Pyanchar Nakska.
Answer: True

5. Neel Darpan is a Bengali play authored by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.
Answer: False

6. Rabindranath Tagore contributed essays on literature, philosophy, etc. in the Grambarta Prakashika.
Answer: True

7. From the very initial stage the British became interested in introducing Western education in India.
Answer: False

8. By the Charter Act of 1813 the East India Company was directed to set aside a sum of Rupees one lac for the promotion of learning in India.
Answer: True

9. The Evangelists were those who put pressure upon the British Government in London for the spread of vernacular education in India.
Answer: False

10. Lord Macaulay, the Law Member in the Governor-General’s Council was in favour of introducing Western education in India.
Answer: True

11. After its foundation in 1823 the General Committee of Public Instruction proceeded with full vigour to spread the English education.
Answer: True

12. Lord Hardinge gave stimulus to English education by linking up knowledge of English with government employment.
Answer: True

13. Rammohan Roy helped J.E. Drinkwater Bethune in the establishment of Hindu Female School.
Answer: False

14. The introduction of Western education was one of the main factors that caused the Indian awakening.
Answer: True

15. Rammohan Roy was a direct supporter for the establishment of the Hindu College.
Answer: False

16. Chandramukhi Bose and Kumudini Bose were the first two women graduates of the University of Calcutta.
Answer: False

17. The first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta was Sir James William Colvile.
Answer: True

18. It was Madhusudan Gupta who was the first to dissect corpse of human body at the Calcutta Medical College.
Answer: True

19. The Brahmo Samaj founded by Rammohan Roy became the centre of reformist movement in Bengal.
Answer: True

20 Being attracted by the personality of Rammohan Roy Keshab Chandra Sen joined the Brahmo Samaj.
Answer: False

21. Keshab Chandra Sen organized a volunteer party called Sangat Sabha in 1860 for famine relief.
Answer: True

22. Being influenced by the Western ideas Bijay Krishna Goswami started questioning the Hindu institutions and beliefs.
Answer: True

23. Contemporary journals like Samachar Darpan and Sambad Kaumadi did not support the cause of the abolition of sati.
Answer: False

24. The Christian missionaries had prohibited sati in the areas under their jurisdiction much before the Company’s government took any initiative in this regard.
Answer: True

25. It was Lord William Bentinck who prohibited the practice of sati by declaring it illegal by the Regulation XVII in 1829.
Answer: True

26. Derozio promoted advanced ideas through his class lectures.
Answer: True

27 Derozio taught his students about the evil effects of idolatry and superstition.
Answer: True

28. The students of the Hindu College collectively known as the ‘Young Bengal’.
Answer: False

29. Serious attempts were made by the enlightened middle class to introduce Hindu widow remarriage in the 19th century.
Answer: True

30. The first Hindu widow remarriage took place between Srischandra Nayaratna and Kalimati Devi who was a widow of only eleven years.
Answer: False

31. Haji Mohammad Mohsin was a religious man and made no distinction between Hindu and Muslim.
Answer: True

32. Bijay Krishna Goswami infused a new life into the Brahmo movement.
Answer: False

33. Debendrannath Tagore in 1881 formed the new religious faith under the name Nababidhan.
Answer: False

34. Ramakrishna Paramhansa was convinced that all religious lead to the same goal.
Answer: True

35. Vivekananda admitted that the West had certain positive achievements such as freedom and respect to women.
Answer: True

36. Lalon Fakir appropriated various philosophical positions emanating from Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Islamic traditions.
Answer: True

37. The European Renaissance had gave birth to many-sided resurgence, but the Bengal Renaissance did not have any such capacity to generate.
Answer: True

38. According to Professor Amalesh Tripathi it is a fault to equate the cultural flowering of the 19th century Bengal with that of the European Renaissance of the fifteenth century.
Answer: True

39. Macaulay as the Law Member finalized the education policy of the East India Company’s government in India.
Answer: False

40. In 1844 Lord Amherst gave stimulus to English education by linking a knowledge of English with government employment.
Answer: False

41. Vidyasagar was helped by Drink water Bethune in establishing the Hindu Female School.
Answer: False

42. Rammohan was the founder of the Anglo-Hindu School in 1822.
Answer: True

43. Raja Radhakanta Dev was the leader of the conservatives of the contemporary Bengal who defended everything that passed as Hinduism.
Answer: True

44. Derozio was dismissed from the Hindu College under pressure from Rammohan and his associates.
Answer: False

45. Calcutta Medical College of Bengal was founded in 1835
Answer: True

46. Wood’s Dispatch recommended the establishment of a university in each of the three Presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.
Answer: True

47. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee became one of the first two graduates of the University of Calcutta.
Answer: True

48. Pandit Madhusudan Gupta was the first to dissect a corpse at the R.G. Kar Medical College.
Answer: False

49. Rammohan considered caste system of the Hindu society as the greatest impediment to the growth of patriotic feeling amongest them
Answer: True

50. Inspired by Rammohan Roy Keshab Chandra Sen joined the Brahmo Samaj in 1857.
Answer: True

51. Bijay Krishna Goswami at a point of time abandoned the association of Keshab Chandra Sen and joined the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj.
Answer: True

52. William Carey was convinced that the practice of sati was not a compulsory practice applicable applicable to all the Hindu widows.
Answer: False

53. Sambad Kaumadi and other journals with progressive ideas took up the cause of the abolition of the practice of sati.
Answer: True

54. In spite of his Indo-European lineage Derozio looked upon India as his motherland.
Answer: True

55. It is said that the Young Bengal held an idea that was less progressive than that of Rammohan.
Answer: False

56. The question of remarriage of Hindu widows gathered momentum from the 30s of the nineteenth century.
Answer: True

57. The orthodox section of the Hindu society were opposed to the remarriage of Hindu widows and submitted petition against legalizing the remarriage of the Hindu widows.
Answer: True

58. It was owing to the leadership of Debendranath Tagore that the Indians could withstand the onslaught of Westernization let loose by the British colonialism.
Answer: True

59. The Brahmo movement hardly played any role for the regeneration of India.
Answer: False

60. Ramakrishna found people quarrelling in the name of religion without realizing that He who is called Krishna is also called Sivs, and bears the name of Jesus and Allah as well.
Answer: True

61. Vivekananda set before the people the great ideal of conquest of the world by India.
Answer: True

Fill in the gaps by choosing the correct words

1. The Bengali periodical Bamabodhini laid strong emphasis on ________ issues.
Answer: Women

2. ________ included the definition and character of ‘new Bengal women’
Answer: Bamabodhini

3. The ________ published stories narrating vividly how the indigo peasants were oppressed by the indigo planters.
Answer: Hindu Patriot

4. ________ raised its voice of protest against the British Government’s action in muzzling the press.
Answer: Hindu Patriot

5. Hotom Pyanchar Naksha is authored by ________
Answer: Kaliprasanna Sinha

6. ______ ridiculed the Europeans in Kolkata for their fearof the Revolt and for exaggerating atrocities committed by the rebels.
Answer: Kaliprasanna Sinha

7. Grambarta Prakashika was published under the editorship of _____
Answer: Kangal Harinath Majumdar

8. The beginning of Western education in India is to se dated from the _____
Answer: Charter Act 1813

9. In the Anglicist-Orientalist controversy _____ belonged to the Anglicist party.
Answer: Colvin

10. No one can deny the contributions of the print media in ______ and other fields.
Answer: Social

11. The Hindu Patriot was an ______ weekly published from Kolkata.
Answer: English

12. Neel Darpan is a Bengali play authored by _____ written in the background of the Indigo Revolt.
Answer: Dinabandhu Mitra

13. Reputed Bengali stalwarts like _____ and others contributed essays to the Grambarta Prakashika.
Answer: Rabindranath

14. As regards the abolition of _____ Rammohan was not in favour of abolishing it in one go. Rather he advocated for checks on it and the use of policing.
Answer: Sati

15. The beginning of Western education in India dates from _____
Answer: 1813

16. The chief exponent of Evangelism was _____
Answer: Charles Grant

17. _____ were those who favoured the introduction of Western scientific knowledge in India.
Answer: Anglicists

18. Radhakanta Dev always insisted that study and morals of the _____ should be of primary importance.
Answer: Students

19. The University of Calcutta was established on 24 January
Answer: 1857

20. Rammohan lodged protest to _____ against the official proposal to set up Sanskrit College in Calcutta.
Answer: Lord Amherst

21. After the death of Rammohan the cause of Brahmo movement for social reform was taken up by _____
Answer: Debendranath Tagore

22. Drawn by the magnetic power of ____ oration thousands of youths subscribed to the Brahmo faith.
Answer: Debendranath

23. _____ organized welfare measures for the people in distress.
Answer: Keshab Chandra Sen

24. Amongst the Hindu Sanskrit scholars the most important opinion was expressed by _____ regarding the prohibition of sati.
Answer: Mrityunjoy Vidyalankar

25. Samachar Chandrika came out openly in support of the practice of _____ and favoured its continuance.
Answer: Sati

26. It was under the influence of _____ that many of the students renounced the sacred thread (paita).
Answer: Derozio

27. The attempts of _____ to initiate Hindu widow remarriage failed miserabiy.
Answer: Maharaja Srish Chandra

28. A new phase of the Brahma Movement started with the joining of _____ in 1857.
Answer: Keshab Chandra

29. The concept of sarva dharma samannay was projected by _____
Answer: Ramakrishna

Statement and Assertion

Question 1.
Statement : The newspapers, journals, etc. played an important role in fostering social consciousness and promoting nationalism.
Assertion:
a. Bamabodhini was a Bengali periodical published in 1863.
b. Hindu Patriot was the most famous paper of Bengal for quite some time.
c. During the nineteenth century several factors were responsible for causing tension within the Bengali society.
d. Bamabodhini helped to bring about women’s progress in education and social matters.
Answer:
d. Bamabodhini helped to bring about women’s progress in education and social matters.

Question 2.
Statement : The Bengali middle class fur the first time came out in open support to the indigo rebels.
Assertion:
a. The play, Neel Darpan was written by Dinabandhu Mitra.
b. Prior to the Indigo Revolt the middle class did not lend support to those who rebelled against the British colonists.
c. Dinabandhu Mitra had first hand knowledge how the peasants were oppressed by the indigo planters.
d. The indigo planters did what they liked to the peasantry.
Answer:
b. Prior to the Indigo Revolt the middle class did not lend support to those who rebelled against the British colonists.

Question 3.
Statement : From the enactment of the Charter Act of 1813 much time was wasted till a final decision was taken by the British officials to introduce Western education in India.
Assertion :
a. There emerged two opinions in the official circle regarding the education to be introduced in India.
b. The Anglicists were in favour of introducing Western education in the country.
c. The Orientalists wanted that traditional Indian learning be introduced in India.
d. Lord William Bentinck with the help of Lord Macaulay, the Law Member, finally decided in favour of introducing Western education in India.
Answer:
d. Lord William Bentinck with the help of Lord Macaulay, the Law Member, finally decided in favour of introducing Western education in India.

Question 4.
Statement : The practice of sati was a social evil. The East India Company’s government finally passed a Regulation prohibiting sati. Assertion :
a. The Christian missionaries had prohibited the practice of sati in the area under their jurisdiction.
b. The orthodox section of the Bengali society in kept no stone unturned to preserve the practice of sati.
c. Lord William Bentinck with the support of high officials, judges and other finally abolished the practice of sati. Rammohan, however, was not in favour of its immediate abolition.
d. Journals like Samachar Darpan and others also took up the cause of the abolition of the practice of sati.
Answer:
c. Lord William Bentinck with the support of high officials, judges and other finally abolished the practice of sati. Rammohan, however, was not in favour of its immediate abolition.

Question 5.
Statement : The movement initiated by the ‘Young Bengal’ did not continue for more than ten years.
Assertion :
a. Though Derozio died a premature death his inspiration among the contemporary youth lived longer.
b. The Young Bengal, also called Derozians, studied the Western literature and drew inspiration from it.
c. Young Bengal, in the opinion of some critiques, held far more advanced political ideas than those of Rammohan.
d. The Young Bengal could not define their objectives in clear terms, nor they had any leadership after Derozio.
Answer:
d. The Young Bengal could not define their objectives in clear terms, nor did they have any leadership after Derozio.

Match List I with List II

Question 1.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The Bengali periodical that gave emphasis to women issues	(i) Neel Darpan
(b) Harish Chandra Mukheijee	(ii) Bamabodhini
(c) Oppressions of the indigo planters	(iii) Hutom Pyanchar Naksha
(d) Description of a Kolkata city street	(iv) Hindu Patriot

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (iv), (c) – (i), (d) – (iii)

Question 2.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The periodical which included definition and character of “New Bengali women’	(i) Dinabandhu Mitra
(b) Hindu marriage law imposed disability on the part of girls in exercising their right to marry on their own	(ii) Bamabodhini
(c) The one who noticed and expressed with irony and humour how the old and new lived side by side	(iii) Hindu Patriot
(d) Staying in Jessore one who had the first hand knowledge how the peasantry treated by the indigo planters	(iv) Hutom Pyanchar Naksha

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (iii), (c) – (iv), (d) – (i)

Question 3.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The journal that was published under the editorship of Kangal Harinath Majumder	(i) Charter Act of 1813
(b) The provision of spending one lac of rupees in a year for the promotion of education in India	(ii) Grambarta Prakashika
(c) The chief exponent of Evangelism	(iii) Anglicist
(d) The opinion that favoured introduction of Western education in India	(iv) Charles Grant

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (i), (c) – (iv), (d) – (iii)

Question 4.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Western scientific education officially introduced in India	(i) Rammohan Roy
(b) Linking up knowledge of English with government employment	(ii) Iswarchandra Vidyasagar
(c) Emancipation of women	(iii) Lord Hardinge
(d) Indirect support to the foundation of the Hindu College	(iv) Macaulay’s Minute

Answer:
(a) – (iv), (b) – (iii), (c) – (ii), (d) – (i)

Question 5.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Leader of the orthodox section of the contemporary Bengali society	(I) Wood’s Dispatch
(b) The need for education in Western learning and science was realized by an Englishman	(II) Drinkwater Bethune
(c) Foundation of universities in India was laid in 1854	(III) David Hare
(d) Foreigner who devoted himself to the cause of female education in India	(iv) Radhakanta Dey

Answer:
(a) – (iv), (b) – (iii), (c) – (i), (d) – (ii)

Question 6.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The Governor-General of India at the time of the foundation of universities	(i) Chandramukhi Bose
(b) The first woman graduate of the University of Calcutta	(ii) Lord Canning
(c) The first male graduate of the University of Calcutta	(iii) Iswarchandra Vidyasagai
(d) Honorary Secretary of the Bethune Female School till 1869	(iv) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (i), (c) – (iv), (d) – (iii)

Question 7.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) In the Calcutta Medical College the first dissection of corpse took place in 1836	(i) Vaishnavism
(b) President of the Friend’s Social welfare society	(ii) Keshab Chandra Sen
(c) Sadharan Brahmo Samaj	(iii) Madhusudan Gupta
(d) A disillusioned Bijay Krishna Goswami was attracted to the teachings of Sri Krishna Chaitanya	(iv) Debendranath Tagore

Answer:
(a) – (iii), (b) – (iv), (c) – (ii), (d) – (i)

Question 8.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Official decision to consider the question of abolishing the sati	(i) William Carey
(b) The missionary who studied the Hindu scripture on the burning of widow	(ii) Court of Directors in London
(c) Movement against the practice of sati	(iii) Samachar Darpan
(d) The newspaper that supported the practice of sati	(iv) Rammohan Roy

Question 9.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) Abolition of the practice of sati	(i) Young Bengal
(b) Teacher of the Hindu College who was dismissed	(ii) William Bentinck
(c) The students of the Hindu College who published magazine	(iii) Derozio
(d) Students of Derozio	(iv) Hindu Pioneer

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (iii), (c) – (ii), (d) – (i)

Question 10.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The most important Sanskrit scholar who opined against the practice of sati	(i) Vivekananda
(b) The Fakir of Jhungeera was full of patriotic feeling	(ii) Lalon Fakir
(c) Neo-Vedanta or Neo-Hinduism	(iii) Derozio
(d) A social reformer who believed in the power of music	(iv) Mrityunjoy Vidyalankar

Answer:
(a) – (iv), (b) – (iii), (c) – (i), (d) – (ii)

Well structured WBBSE Class 10 History MCQ Questions Chapter 1 Ideas of History can serve as a valuable review tool before exams.

Ideas of History Class 10 WBBSE MCQ Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (Tick off the correct ones)

Question 1.
Of the following which describes the essentials of history?
a. Studies of man as a social being living in a particular geographical and natural environment.
b. Studies how man laid the foundation of civilization.
c. Records of the dates and events that took place in the passage of time.
d. Studies of man as he lives in society.
Answer:
d. Studies of man as he lives in society.

Question 2.
Of the following which is considered one of the ingredients of history?
a. Diplomatic strategies
b. Studies of plants
c. Studies of insects
d. Studies in planets
Answer:
Diplomatic strategies

Question 3.
Of the following who favoured looking at history from below ?
a. R.C. Majumder
b. J.N. Sarkar
c. Ranke
d. Ranajit Guha
Answer:
d. Ranajit Guha

Question 4.
During which of the following periods did appear the new trend in historical studies called ‘Social history’?
a. 70s of the nineteenth century
b. 20s of the twentieth century
c. 50s of the twentieth century
d. 60s of the twentieth century
Answer:
d. 60s of the twentieth century

Question 5.
Of the following who said that Bengal youth could get to heaven playing football ?
a. Professor Niharranjan Roy
b. Ramchandra Guha
c. Swami Vivekananda
d. Ashis Nandy
Answer:
c. Swami Vivekananda

Question 6.
Who authored the book on the history of sports entitled Twenty two Yards of Freedom?
a. Ramchandra Guha
b. Ashis Nandy
c. Dr. Boria Majumdar
d. Niharranjan Roy
Answer:
c. Dr. Boria Majumdar

Question 7.
Which of the following was the earliest text on the Bengali food habits?
a. The Vedas
b. Charyapada
c. The History of Bengal
d. None of the above
Answer:
b. Charyapada

Question 8.
Which of the following is the oldest preserved example of Indian music?
a. Rigueda
b. Natyashastra
c. Samaveda
d. Baul tradition
Answer:
c. Samaveda

Question 9.
The earliest music in Bengal was influenced by which of the following ?
a. Rabindrasangeet
b. Gitagovinda
c. Panchali gan
d. Chau Nritya
Answer:
b. Gitagovinda

Question 10.
Of the following who wrote his first play Anande Raho in 1882 ?
a. Girischandra Ghosh
b. Dasarathi Rai
c. Jogendra Gupta
d. Sridhar Kathak
Answer:
a. Girischandra Ghosh

Question 11
Which of the following is the most important ancient text on dance?
a. Sangitaratnakara
b. Natyashastra
c. Gaudiya Nritya
d. Chau Nritya
Answer:
b. Natyashastra

Question 12.
Of the following which the earliest available work on drama in Tamil ?
a. Kuttiyam
b. Tolkappiyam
c. Natyashastra
d. Meghadoota
Answer:
b. Tolkappiyam

Question 13.
Which of the following is regarded as the most elaborate treatise on ancient plays?
a. Kuttiyam
b. Tolkappiyam
c. Natyashastra
d. Abhijnana Sakumalam
Answer:
c. Natyashastra

Question 14.
Which of the following was the first Indian feature film ?
a. Pundalik
b. Harishchandra
c. Do Bigha Zamin
d. Hamraz
Answer:
b. Harishchandra

Question 15.
Of the following which was the only indigenous industry to emerge under colonialism ?
a. Steel
b. Tea
c. Cinema
d. Jute
Answer:
c. Cinema

Question 16.
Of the following which constitutes the earliest records for the history of clothing in India?
a. Indus Valley Civilization
b. Ramayana
c. Rigueda
d. Writings of Herodotus
Answer:
a. Indus Valley Civilization

Question 17.
Which of the following refers to the Paridhan as the garments in use in early India?
a. The Ramayana
b. The Mahabharata
c. The Rigueda
d. The writings of Kalidasa
Answer:
c. The Rigueda

Question 18.
Of the following who experimented with designs for a national dress for women of the country?
a. Sarala Devi
b. Jnanadanandini Devi
c. Priyadarshini Devi
d. Narayani Devi
Answer:
b. Jnanadanandini Devi

Question 19.
Of the following which was the common means of transport in early Bengal ?
a. Horse
b. Elephant
c. nauka
d. palki
Answer:
c. Nauka

Question 20.
Of the following which was very much in use in the 19th century Kolkata as a means of transportation?
a. Horse-driven carriages
b. Palanquins
c. Trucks
d. Elephant brigade
Answer:
b. Palanquins

Question 21.
Of the following which was the Buddhist text that was illuminated as a part of painting as a visual arts?
a. Kalighat paintings
b. Pahari drawings
c. Rajput paintings
d. Pancaraksha
Answer:
d. Pancarakaha

Question 22.
Of the following which was the centre of the Renaissance of modern Indian paintings?
a. Kolkata
b. Delhi
c. Bombay
d. Madras
Answer:
a. Kolkata

Question 23
Of the following who as the Principal of the Calcutta School of Art brought about fundamental changes of far-reaching consequences?
a. Nandalal Bose
b. Sorashi Kumar Saraswati
c. Ernest Binfield Havell
d. None of the above
Answer:
c. Ernest Binfield Havell

Question 24.
Of the following who came to be noted both for painting and open-air monumental sculpture?
a Rabindranath Tagore
b. Ramkinkar Beij
c. Binod Behari De
d. Jamini Roy
Answer:
b. Ramkinkar Beij

Question 25.
Which in the following years did camera arrive in Kolkata ?
a. 1830
b. 1820
c. 1840
d. 1850
Answer:
c. 1840

Question 26.
In which of the following the physical aspect of photography for readers was explained?
a. Janmabhumi
b. Silpapushpanjali
c. Silappadukaram
d. Matribhumi
Answer:
b. Silpapushpanjali

Question 27
Of the following the lady member of the Tagore family of Jorasanko who was devoted to the art of camera was :
a. Kumudini Devi
b. Mrinalini Devi
c. Jnanadanandini Devi
d. Pratima Devi
Answer:
c. Jnanadanandini Devi

Question 28.
Of the following who initiated the first X-ray unit of diagnosing diseases?
a. Dr. Ajit Kumar Sarkar
b. Dr.N.K. Munshi
c. Dr. P. Chatterjee
d Dr. Nilratan Sircar
Answer:
d. Dr. Nilratan Sircar

Question 29.
What is the name of the scholarly writing on architecture ?
a. History of Indian and Eastern Architecture
b. An Imperial Vision
c. Silpasashtra
d. The Making of a New Indian Art
Answer:
c. Silpasashtra

Question 30.
One example of the Bhanja style of Bengal is :
a. Calcutta Museum
b. Kali temple at Dakshineswar
c. Belur Math
d. Saheed Meenar
Answer:
b. Kali temple at Dakshineswar

Question 31.
Which of the following books on art of architecture chiefly in Bengal around twentieth century?
a. Silpashastra
b History of Indian and Eastern Architecture
c. The Making of a New Indian Art d An Imperial Vision
d. None of the above
Answer:
c. The Making of a New Indian Art

Question 32.
From which of the following originated the ‘bungalow’ architectural style?
a. Odisha
b. Bengal
c Tamilnadu
d. Bihar
Answer:
b. Bengal

Question 33.
Of the following who urged upon the students to undertake studies in local history in an address to the Calcutta University?
a Rabindranath Tagore
b. Asutosh Mukherjee
c. Jadunath Sarkar
d Ramesh Chandra Majumder
Answer:
a Rabindranath Tagore

Question 34.
Of the following who made a detailed study of medieval cities in India?
a. Narayani Gupta
b. Aniruddha Roy
c. Irfan Habib
d. Ranabir Chakravarti
Answer:
b Aniruddha Roy

Question 35.
In India where is found the earliest reference to army?
a. The Ramayana
b. The Mahabharata
c. The Vedas
d. The Puranas
Answer:
c. The Vedas

Question 36.
The pioneering work of reconstructing the local history of some of the areas of Bangladesh was done by :
a. Satischandra Ghosh
b. Dinabandhu Mitra
c. Satischandra Mitra
d. Nikhilnath Ghosh
Answer:
c. Satischandra Mitra

Question 37.
One of the outstanding work on the military history of India during the colonial period is :
a. Military History of India and South Asia
b. From Plassey to Independence
c. Military History of India
d. The Eighteenth Century in India
Answer:
a. Military History of India and South Asia

Question 38.
Of the following books mention the one that deals with environment :
a. Modernity at Large
b. The Corner of a Field
c. Hunting and Shooting
d. None of the above
Answer:
c. Hunting and shooting

Question 39.
Of the Following who pioneered the dissection of human body in the Calcutta Medical College?
a. Madhusudan Datta
b Madhusudan Bhattacharya
c. Madhusudan Gupta
d. Madhusudan Roy
Answer:
c. Madhusudan Gupta

Question 40.
The Bengali writer who seriously worked for the propagation of a modern scientific outlook was :
a. Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy
b Jagadish Chandra Bose
c. Arjun Appadorai
d. Akshay Kumar Datta
Answer:
d. Akshay Kumar Datta

Question 41.
Of the following who has done a lot of researches with regard to the position of women in India ?
a. Pritilata Waddedar
b. Bina Das
c. Sukumari Bhattacharya
d. Mridula Mukherjee
Ans :
c. Sukumari Bhattacharya

Question 42.
Which of the following is regarded as the primary source of reconstructing history?
a. History books
b. Diaries, speeches, etc.
c. Journals
d. Magazines
Answer:
b. Diaries, speeches, etc.

Question 43.
Which of the following is regarded as the secondary source of reconstructing history?
a. Diaries
b. Speeches
c. A History book
d. Letters
Answer:
c. A history book

Question 44.
Of the following who came to be popularly known as the “father of revolutionary thought’?
a. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
b. Bipin Chandra Pal
c. Bagha-jatin
d. Behari Charan Das
Answer:
b Bipin Chandra Pal

Question 45.
Which of the following autobiographies is immensely valuable for the historian of modern India?
a. Jibansmriti
b. Jibaner Jharapata
c. Sattar Batsar
d. Yogi
Answer:
c. Sattar Batsar

Question 46.
In which of the following there are valuable pen-pictures of the luminaries of the contemporary Bengal’s cultural sky?
a. Jibaner Jharapata
b. Jibansmriti
c. Sattar Batsar
d. Yogi
Answer:
b. Nibansmriti

Question 47.
Of the following which one may be described as the collection of reports and comments about current events published on a daily basis?
a. Journal
b. Magazine
c. Little-magazine
d. Newspaper
Answer:
d. Newspaper

Question 48.
About which of the following historian Ramesh Chandra Majumder commented to be the first literary journal of its kind in Bengal ?
a. Somprakash
b. Bangadarshan
c. Bangadut
d. Samachar-darpan
Answer:
b Bangadarshan

Question 49.
Which of the following introduced a new style of writing in journalism ?
a. Bangadarshan
b. Samachar-darpan
c. Somprakash
d. Bangadut
Answer:
c. Somprakash

Question 50.
Of the following which helped the process of acculturation in Bengali society?
a. Cinema
b. Drama
c. Music
d. Photography
Answer:
d. Photography

Tick off True or False

1. The English term ‘history’ is derived from the Roman word historia.
Answer: False

2. History is not a set of laws of generalizations.
Answer: True

3. Mere dates and years of political events are not history proper.
Answer: True

4. Thinker like Ranke gave a new turn to historical thinking in the early part of the twentieth century.
Answer: True

5. ‘Social History’ is also known as the ‘New Social History’.
Answer: True

6. Sports and games are the objects of national identity.
Answer: True

7. Boria Majumder’s book entitled Twenty-Two Yards of Freedom is a landmark dealing with social history of cricket.
Answer: True

8. Ramchandra Guha enriched the history of sports by writing a number of books on the subject.
Answer: True

9. Professor Niharranjan Roy has collected accounts of Indian food habits and cuisine from ancient texts such as Charyapada.
Answer: False

10. The Indian Food: A Historical Companion written by K.T. Achaya outlines varieties of cuisines that collectively may be called ‘Indian Food’.
Answer: True

11. The oldest preserved example of Indian music is to be found in Meghadoota written by poet Kalidas.
Answer: False

12. Presently Indian classical musical tradition has two distinctive styles, namely, Carnatic and Hindusthani.
Answer: True

13. The earliest music of Bengal was least influenced by the Vaishnava poetry.
Answer: False

14. The Ballad songs of Bengal, collectively called Panchali gaan, created history.
Answer: True

15. The Kuchipudi dance belongs to the Tamil region.
Answer: True

16. Natyashastra is an important ancient Sanskrit work on Indian dance.
Answer: True

17. The monumental treatise on music Sangitaratnakara includes a chapter on the traditions of Indian dance.
Answer: True

18. Chau Nritya is a special dance form of Odisha.
Answer: False

19. Bhasa belonging to 5th century BC is one of the celebrated playwrights in Sanskrit drama.
Answer: True

20. The one who revived the age-old drama tradition of India from extinction is Mani Madhava Chakyar.
Answer: True

21. Tolkappiar is the author of the Tamil work Tolkappyam which is a guide book for writing and acting out plays.
Answer: True

22. Thirumalai was an art critique.
Answer: True

23. Girishchandra Ghosh wrote his first play Natyashastra in 1882.
Answer: False
.
25. Cinema arrived in India almost at the same time as it did in the major European cities.
Answer: True

26. India is a unique case globally as it has the only major indigenous film industry to emerge under the colonial rule.
Answer: True

27. India has its own historiography of clothing that dates long ago.
Answer: True

28. The earliest evidence of clothing goes back to the period of Rigueda.
Answer: False

29. In the medieval Bengali epic like Manasamangal there is a reference to boats as a means of water-transport.
Answer: True

30. As Buddhists the Pala kings of Bengal used to illuminate Buddhist manuscripts which are the earliest specimens of paintings survived.
Answer: True

31. The oldest painting of Sri Chaitanya is survived at Kunjaghata in Murshidabad, West Bengal.
Answer: True

32. With the fundamental changes brought about by Ernest Binfield Havell began the Renaissance of modern Indian art.
Answer: True

33. A centre of painting was established at Shantiniketan when Nandalal Bose joined the Kala Bhawan there.
Answer: True

34. The earliest photographic institution in Kolkata was Messers Bourne and shepherd.
Answer: True

35. The Photographic Society of Bengal founded in 1856 had only Englishmen as its members.
Answer: false

36. There were no women photographers working professionally in contemporary Kolkata.
Answer: False

37. The first X-ray unit of diagonising diseases was initiated by Jagadish Chandra Bose.
Answer: False

38. The Indian architecture was born in the bosom of the country and had not been influenced by any external agency.
Answer: False

39. The Bhanja is a form of architecture that was practiced in Bengal.
Answer:  True

40. Local history as a micro level studies help to uncover historical episodes in a particular area.
Answer: True

41. A demographer is one who studies population statistics.
Answer: True

42. The influence of environment moulds the thought and dealings in life of the respective people.
Answer: True

43. Silent Spring written by Rachel Carson is a well documented book emphasizing the detrimental effects on the environment as a result of the indiscriminate use of pesticide.
Answer: False

44. The Unquiet Wood, a book on environment has been authored by Rangarajan.
Answer: False

45. The story of science, technology and medicine began in a humble manner in Bengal.
Answer: True

46. Serampore Press published a mathematical treatise called Ganit.
Answer : False

47. The Hindu College presently Presidency University. was founded in the year 1818 .
Answer: False

48. In Bengal, Ramendra Sundar Trivedi’s fame rests on his popular science essays.
Answer: True

49. Aluwalia’s Rethinking Boundaries of Femintsm and Internationalism is a significant study on women.
Answer: True

50. Speeches are considered the secondary source for the reconstruction history.
Answer: False

51. Memoir is a collection of memories that an individual writes about moments of his or her life.
Answer: True

52. Bipin Chandra Pal’s Sattar Batsar is a memoir.
Answer: True

53. Bipin Chandra Pal in his memoirs tells us how Surendranath Banerjee emerged as a national leader endowed with a great power of oratory.
Answer: True

54. Rabindranath started writing his first autobiography Fibansmriti around the age of 50
Answer: True

55. Fibansmriti reflects the environment of the country in which he was brought up.
Answer: True

56. Jibansmriti is a landmark in the autobiographical writings in Bengali as it is written in chaste Bengali prose, spiced often in a subtle sense of humour.
Answer: True

57. Sarala Devi Cahudhurani was the first feminist of modern Bengal. She was also the first political leader of modern times.
Answer: True

58. Sarala Devi Chaudhurani in her Jibaner Sharapata wrote that the improvement of health and physique of young girls was essential to the success of the national movement.
Answer: False

59. Letters from a Father to Her Daughter was written by Jawaharlal Nehru.
Answer:  True

60. Periodicals and newspapers are not important source of information for the reconstruction of events.
Answer: False

61. The editor of Bangadarshan was Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
Answer: True

62. The Bangadarshan gave proof of its national consciousness when in 1882 it published articles on the wrongs done by the British administrators in India.
Answer: False

63. An important aspect of the print media newspapers, journals, etc. was that they made people conscious about the contemporary social problems.
Answer: True

64. The use and abuse of internet go together simultaneously.
Answer: True

Fill in the gaps by choosing the correct words

1. Eminent historian Bury said that History ………… is no less and no more. (arts/ science/ social science/ humanities)
Answer: Humanities

2. Historical studies are as variable as ………… itself. (history/ society/ human being/ nature)
Answer: Science

3. A new trend that appeared in the historical studies during the 60s of the twentieth century is called New ………… History. (political/ economic/ social/ environmental)
Answer: Social

4. Sports and games are the objects of national …………
Answer: Identity

5. Swami Vivekananda made the symbolic statement that Bengali youth could get to heaven playing …………
Answer: Football

6. Boria Majumdar’s book entitled Twenty-two Yards of Freedom is a landmark dealing with – history of cricket.
Answer: Social

7. Ramchandra Guha, a social historian, also enriched the domain of …………..
Answer: Sports

8. Food habits of a people is largely determined by – factors.
Answer: Climatic

9. Niharranjan Roy has collected accounts of Bengali food habits from ancient texts like …………..
Answer: Charyapada

10. The earliest music in Bengal was influenced by the Gitagovinda by …………..
Answer: Jaydeva

11. Bharata Muni was a sage of …………..
Answer: Tamilnadu

12. One of the most important ancient Sanskrit works on Indian classical dance is …………..
Answer: Natyashastra

13. Sangitaratnakara is a treatise that includes a chapter on Indian traditional …………..
Answer: Dance

14. Cinema arrived in India almost at the same time as it did in cities …………..
Answer: European

15. Objects, images, etc. are helpful to capture the lost history of Indian …………
Answer: Cinema

16. Statues and seals discovered from the sites of the Indus Valley Civilization are the source of knowledge for ………… used at that time.
Answer: Clothing

17. In Rigveda there is mention of garments known as …………
Answer: Paridhan

18. In the colonial period distinctive changes were noticeable in ………… pattern.
Answer: Dress

19. ……… and bullock carts were common means of transport in the early days.
Answer: Watercraft

20. The Palas of Bengal were Buddhists and as such they used to illuminate ………… manuscripts.
Answer: Buddhist

21. In the post-Pala period no ………… text has survived.
Answer: Illuminated

22. Ernest Benfield Havell was an author of many books on ………… arts.
Answer: Indian

23. Messers Bourne and Shepherd opened its studio in Kolkata and it had distinguished persons like ………… as its customers.
Answer: SriRamakrishnadeva

24. Shantiniketan became an important centre of art when ………… joined the Kala Bhawan there.
Answer: Nandalal Bose

25. Calcutta School of Industrial Arts, established in ………… started imparting instructions on photography.
Answer: 1854

26. There is reference to camera and photography in Rabindranath Tagore’s …………
Answer: Chokher Bali

27. Ramendra Sundar Trivedi’s essays on photography were serialized in the journal …….
Answer: Janmabhumi

28. ………… Devi was passionately devoted to the art of camera.
Answer: Jnanadanandini

29. ………… was pioneer in X-ray photography in the country.
Answer: Jagadish Chandra Bose

30. The origin of the ‘bungalow’ architectural style has its roots in …………
Answer: Bengal

31. The ………… of Kolkata is an example of the Bhanja style of architecture.
Answer: Dakshineswar Temple

32. As regards local history pioneering effort was ………… of Kumudnath Mallick.
Answer: Nadiya Kahini

33. ………… favoured the students to undertake studies in local history.
Answer: Rabindranath Tagore

34. The study made by Professor is a milestone in the urban history of India.
Answer: Narayani Gupta

35. The British started rebuilding the city of Kolkata after the Battle of –
Answer: Plassey

36. In the wake of global warming people are facing …………. hazard.
Answer: Environmental

37. John Mack’s book on chemistry in …………. was published from Serampore Press.
Answer: Bengali

38. A mathematical treatise called Ganit was published by the ……………………..
Answer: School Book Society

39. pioneered the dissection of human dead body.
Answer: Madhusudan Gupta

40. Jagadish Chandra Bose published his first book entitled Response in Living and Non-living from –
Answer: London

41. An important event of 1927 was the publication of U.N. Brahmachari’s research paper on –
Answer: Kala-azar

42. Real progress in science, technology and medicine began after ……….
Answer: 1947

43. Women in Modern India written by ……….. deals with women’s recent history.
Answer: Geraldine Forbes

44. Sattar Batsar is an autobiography written by ……………..
Answer: Bipin Chandra Pal

45. It is known from his autobiography that Rabindranath was groomed with a comprehensive mode of education comprising anatomy to –
Answer: Astronomy

46. ……………… was in close contact with the revolutionaries of Bengal.
Answer: Sarala Devi.

47. Periodicals and newspapers are important …………… of information.
Answer: Source

48. Bangadarshan was published from ………… in 1872.
Answer: Calcutta

49. Somprakash was first projected by ……………… and attained the foremost position among the Bengali newspapers.
Answer: Vidyasagar

Statement and Assertion

Question 1.
Statement: A new trend in historical studies appeared during the 60s of the twentieth century.
Assertion:
a. Economic history became a branch of study of history.
b. The new trend was called the New Social History.
c. Environmental studies became a part of the historical studies.
d. Annales aimed at devoting to the study of contemporary society and economics.
Answer:
b. A new trend was called the New Social History

Question 2.
Statement : Sports and games are the objects of national identity.
Assertion.
a. Vivekananda made the statement that Bengali youth could get to heaven playing football rather than reading Gita.
b. Ever since 1970s history of sports had caught on, and histories of sports came to be written.
c. When the Indian team had lifted the cup of victory playing against the British players in Calcutta, it was a great booster to the national spirit.
d. Books on cricket by Ramchandra Guha enriched the domain of sports by suggesting the possibility of opening international relations through cricket.
Answer:
c. When the Indian team had lifted the cup of victory playing against the British players in Calcutta, it was a great booster to the national spirit.

Question 3.
Statement : Music has been an integral part of India’s culture.
Assertion :
a. Bharata Muni classified musical instruments into five systems.
b. Bengali music was influenced by the Vaishnava poetry.
c. The melodies of the Samaveda are still sung in some Vedic sacrifices.
d. In the 19th century Bengali ballad songs created history.
Answer:
c. The melodies of the Samaveda are still sung in some Vedic sacrifices.

Question 4.
Statement : The historiography of dance exposes the important connection identity politics and the creation of classical dance.
Assertion :
a. Natyasashtra is an important ancient Sanskrit works.
b. Bengali dance forms have drawn heavily from the folk tradition.
c. Bharatnatyam is based on the treatise Natyasashtra.
d. The Kuchipudi dance creates and supports hegemonic version of the Telugu history.
Answer:
d. The Kuchipudi dance creates and supports hegemonic version of the Telugu history.

Question 5.
Statement : Drama or theatre historiography means study of the methodologies that determine how theatre history is written.
Assertion :
a. It is only recently that the theatre historians have paid attention to how theatre history is written.
b. Tolkappiyam is the earliest available Tamil drama available.
c. Generations of Indians have been influenced by the thoughts indicated in the Natyashastra.
d. Girishchandra Ghosh wrote his first play Anande Raho in 1882.
Answer:
a. It only recently that the theatre historians have paid attention to how theatre history is written.

Question 6.
Statement: In the historiography of Indian cinema none have tried to capture the lost history through objects, images, posters and artifacts.
Assertion:
a. Cinema arrived in India almost at the same time as it did in major European cities.
b. The question of Indian cinema in the background of colonialism and nationalism is a very complex one.
c. Dungarpur’s documentary entitled The Immortals unravels Indian cinema’s radiant past through images, posters, artifacts, etc.
d. Nationalist historians are reluctant to bestow Pundalik the honour of being the first Indian film.
Answer:
c. Dungarpur’s documentary entitled The Immortals unravels Indian cinema’s radiant past through images, posters, artifacts, etc.

Question 7.
Statement : History of clothing and fashion constitutes a large and sophisticated field of academic research.
Assertion :
a. India’s recorded history of clothing goes back to the period of Indus Valley Civilization.
b. The modern historiography of clothing is based across a series of academic spaces like social and economic history.
c. In Rigveda there is mention of garments known as Paridhan.
d. Present knowledge about the fashion and Indian clothing largely comes from the statues, sculpture and painting.
Answer:
The modern historiography of clothing is based across a series of academic spaces like social and economic history.

Question 8.
Statement : In ancient India elephants and horses were in use, both militarily and otherwise.
Assertion :
a. Palanquin was used as a means of transportation.
b. Bullock carts were used as a means of transportation.
c. Greek historians mentioned that the might of the Ganga kingdom consisted in the elephant brigade.
d. As a riverine country boat was the natural means of transportation.
Answer:
c. Greek historians mentioned that the might of the Ganga kingdom consisted in the elephant brigade.

Question 9.
Statement : Kolkata was the centre of the Renaissance of modern Indian painting.
Assertion :
a. Ernest Benfield Havell was an influential English art historian.
b. As the Principal of the Calcutta School of Art Havell brought fundamental changes in the curriculam of the institution.
c. Many of the graduates of the Calcutta Art School excelled as portrait painters.
d. A Handbook of Indian Art is one of the important books authored by Havell.
Answer:
c. Many of the graduates of the Calcutta Art School excelled as portrait painters.

Question 10.
Statement : The indigenous traditions of scholarly writing on architecture are embodied in the treatises called Shilpashastra.
Assertion :
a. Fergusson in his book revealed how India’s arts are more original and varied.
b. The British colonial architecture is discussed in detail by Art historian Metcalf.
c. The temple architecture of Bengal has a distinctive roofing style.
d. ‘Bungalow’ architectural style has its roots in Bengal.
Answer:
a. Fergusson in his book revealed how India’s arts are more original and varied.

Question 11.
Statement : Local history is an important area of socio-cultural studies.
Assertion :
a. Kumudnath Mallick’s Nadiya Kahini narrates the local history of Murshidabad.
b. Rabindranath Tagore urged upon the students to undertake local history.
c. Modern studies in history pay special attention to local history to unravel historical episodes.
d. Amanatullah’s History of Coochbehar deals with local history.
Answer:
c. Modern studies in history pay special attention to local history to unravel historical episodes.

Question 12.
Statement : The influence of environment moulds the thought and dealings in the life of the respective people.
Assertion :
a. In the wake of global warming people all the world over are facing environmental hazards.
b. People have become conscious about the detrimental effects of using pesticide indiscriminately.
c. Ramchandra Guha’s environmental studies are of particular importance.
d. Poetries of Rabindranath reveal the influence of landscape.
Answer:
b. People have become conscious about the detrimental effects of using pesticide indiscriminately.

Question 13.
Statement: The story of science, technology and medicine began in an humble way in Bengal.
Assertion :
a. It was not before 1824 that teaching of science began in the Hindu College.
b. Calcutta Medical College was founded in 1835 in Calcutta.
c. Madhusudan Gupta pioneered the dissection of human body.
d. In 1875 Bankim Chandra Chatterjee published his Bijnan Rahasya.
Answer:
a. It was not before 1824 that teaching of science began in the Hindu College.

Question 14.
Statement : The role of women in society has been studied by scholars of different branches of study.
Assertion :
a. As the cultivation was taken over by men women were debarred from tilling the ground.
b. The anthropologists accredited women with the discovery of agriculture.
c. Women take part in harvesting and other related activities.
d. Sukumari Bhattacharya has done a lot of researches with regard to the position of women in society.
Answer:
b. The anthropologists accredited women with the discovery of agriculture.

Question 15.
Statement : Sattar Batsar has documentary value from historical perspective.
Assertion :
a. Pal said that the songs in the Bengali drama staged in Kolkata rang the first stirrings of nationalist feelings.
b. According to Pal, patriotism was enunciated by the Hindu Mela founded by Jyotirindranath Tagore.
c. Pal tells how Surendranath emerged as a national leader.
d. In his youth Pal become a Brahmo activist under the guidance of Shivnath Shastri.
Answer:
b. Patriotism was enunciated by the Hindu Mela founded by Jyotirindranath Tagore.

Question 16.
Statement : Correspondences are important source of information for the reconstruction of the history.
Assertion :
a. In his Letters from a Father to his Daughter Nehru communicated to his daughter about the evolution of mankind.
b. Through the letters written to his daughter Nehru came closer to his daughter.
c. The bunch of letters communicated the essence behind the great Indian epics.
d. The letters of Nehru also leave room for further studies to the readers.
Answer:
a. In his Letters from a Father to his Daughter Nehru communicated to his daughter about the evolution of mankind.

Match List I with List II

Question 1.
Match the following:

List I	List II
a. Subaltern people	i. ‘New Social History”
b. Social Science Research Council	ii. Ranajit Guha, Gyanendra Pandey
c. National Game of England	iii. Social science
d. Boria Majumdar	iv. Football
e. Social science is also called	v. Cricket

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (iii), (c) – (iv), (d) – (v), (e) – (i)

Question 2.
Match the following:

List I	List II
a. Social history of cricket	i. Vivekananda
b. Social historian who enriched the domain of sports	ii. Playing cricket
c. Bengali youth could get heaven playing football rather than reading Gita	iii. Twenty-two Yards of Freedom
d. International and political relations could be improved through	iv. Ramchandra Guha

Answer:
(a) – (iii), (b) – (iv), (c) – (i), (d) – (ii)

Question 3.
Match the following :

List I	List II
(a) People’s food habit is also included in the study of	(i) Bharata muni
(b) Food habits of (a) people is largely determined by	(ii) Social history
(c) Historiography of performing arts includes	(iii) Climatic and geographical factors
(d) A sage of Tamilnadu who classified classical instruments into 5 systems	(iv) Music, dance, drama and cinema

Answer :
(a) – (ii) (b) – (iii), (c)  – (iv), (d) – (i)

Question 4.
Match the following:

List I	List II
(a) The treatise on music that includes a chapter on dance	(i) Physics as to engineering
(b)  Recognition of regional variant of dance as desipaddhatis	(ii) Sangitaratnakara
(c) Theatre historiography is to theatre history as	(iii) The best literature of the world
(d)  Abhijnana Shakuntalam of Kalidas	(iv)  Sarangadeva

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (iv), (c) – (i), (d) – (iii)

Question 5.
Match the following :

List I	List II
(a) The oldest surviving theatre traditions of the world	(i) Tolkappiyam
(b) Tolkappiar is the author of the earliest Tamil work	(ii) Kutiyattam of Kerala
(c) Revival of the age-old drama traditions saved from extinction	(iii) Natyashastra
(d) Guideline treatise for writing and acting out plays	(iv) Mani Madhava Chakyar

Answer:
(a) – (ii),(b) – (i), (c) – (iv), (d) – (iii)

Question 6.
Match the following :

List I	List II
(a) The ancient book that influenced the performing arts for generations	(i) Jogendra Gupta
(b) In Bengal after 1852 flow of dramas came from the pen of	(ii) Girischandra Ghosh
(c) In Bengal under whom drama passed to the professionals	(iii) National Theatre
(d) The year 1872 was a landmark in the development of drama	(iv) Natyashastra

Answer:
(a) – (iv),(b) – (i), (c) – (ii), (d) – (iii)

Question 7.
Match the following :

List I	List II
(a) Cinema arrived in India at the same time as it did	(i) Film
(b)The first feature film of India	(ii) Dadasaheb Phalke
(c) The only major indigenous industry to develop in the colonial period	(iii) Pundalik
(d) Mythological film Raja Harishchandra	(iv) In the major cities of Europe

Answer:
(a) – (iv),(b) – (iii), (c) – (i), (d) – (ii)

Question 8.
Match the following :

List – I	List – II
(a) India’s history of clothing dates back to	(i) Source of pre-historic clothing
(b) In Rigveda there is reference to garments	(ii) Fashion
(c) Seals and statues of the Indus Valley are a	(iii) Paridhan
(d) The thing that changes from time to time in respect of clothing	(iv) Indus Valley Civilization

Answer:
(a) – (iv),(b) – (iii), (c) – (i), (d) – (ii)

Question 9.
Match the following :

List I	List II
(a) In a riverine country like India natural means of transport was used in early days	(i) Horse-driven carriages
(b)  In Charyapadas there is reference to water transport	(ii) Boat or nauka
(c) Sher Shah introduced a new system	(iii) Mercantile fleet of boats
(d)  In Kolkata the general system of transport was	(iv) Postal system by horse­men

Answer:
(a) – (ii),(b) – (iii), (c) – (iv), (d) – (i)

Question 10.
Match the following :

List – I	List – II
(a) A few specimens of paintings survived belonged to a ruling dynasty of Bengal	(i)   E. B. Havell
(b) A research work in Bengali regarding the illuminated manuscripts	(ii) The Palas
(c) The centre of the Renaissance in modem painting	(iii)  Palayuger Chitrakala
(d) The one who brought about fundamental changes in painting	(iv) Kolkata

Answer:
(a) – (ii),(b) – (iii), (c) – (iv), (d) – (i)

Question 11.
Match the following :

List – I	List – II
(a)  It was in 1840 that camera was available in Bengal	(i) Santiniketan
(b) Apart from Kolkata another centre of painting was the place where Nandalal Bose was the teacher	(ii) Kolkata
(c) The society established in 1856 in which there was a mixed membership of Indians and Englishmen	(iii) Shilpapushpanjali
(d) In a book Saraccandra Deb tried to photography	(iv) Photographic Society of Bengal explain the physical aspect of

Answer:
(a) – (ii),(b) – (i), (c) – (iv), (d) – (iii)

Question 12.
Match the following :

List I	List II
(a) The Colonel who appealed to engage amateur photographers to take photographs of temples, houses, etc.	(i) Satyendranath Tagore
(b) Ramendrasundar Trivedi’s essay on photography	(ii) Mahim Chandra Thakur
(c) An ICS who was passionately devoted to camera	(iii) Jagadish Chandra Bose
(d) X-ray photography	(iv) Janmabhumi

Answer:
(a) – (ii),(b) – (iv), (c) – (i), (d) – (iii)

Question 13.
Match the following :

List – I	List – II
(a) An art historian	(i) James Fergusson
(b) History of Indian and Lastem Architecture	(ii) Thomas Metcalf
(c) Tapati Guha Thakurta	(iii) Kali temple of Dakshineswar
(d) Bhanja style of architecture	(iv) The Making of a New Indian Art

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (i), (c) – (iv), (d) – (iii)

Question 14.
Match the following :

List – I	List – II
(a) ‘Nadiya Kahini’ as a local history	(i) Rabindranath Tagore
(b) History of Coochbehar	(ii) Narayani Gupta
(c) Advice to the students to undertake study of local history	(iii) Amanatullah Ahmed
(d) Recent study in urban History	(iv) Kumudnath Mallick

Answer:
(a) – (iv),(b) – (iii), (c) – (i), (d) – (ii)

Question 15.
Match the following:

List – I	List – II
(a) Kolkata, Sutanuti and Govindapur	(i) Sepoys
(b) The earliest known reference to army	(ii) Military history
(c) History that moulds the foreign policy of a country	(iii) The Vedas
(d) The army recruited by the East India Company	(iv) Kolkata

Question 16.
Match the following:

List – I	List – II
(a) Local history is linked with	(i) Rabindranath Tagore
(b) Landscape of Gangetic Bengal	(ii) History of cities
(c) Environmental studies	(iii) Pesticide
(d) Detrimental effects on the environment	(iv) “Hunting and Shooting’

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (i), (c) – (iv), (d) – (iii)

Question 17.
Match the following:

List – I	List – II
(a) Features of science Chemistry	(i) History of Hindu
(b) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee	(ii) Bangadarshan
(c) Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy	(iii) Madhusudan Gupta
(d) Translation of a Sanskrit anatomy book	(iv) Bigynan Rahasya

Answer:
(a) – (ii),(b) – (iv), (c) – (i), (d) – (iii)

Question 18.
Match the following:

List – I	List – II
(a) Studies in feminism	(i) Aluwalia
(b) Women discovered agriculture	(ii) Debarred from tilling soil
(c) Research on feminism	(iii) Women in Modem India
(d) Geraldine Forbes	(iv) Role of Women in Society

Answer:
(a) – (iv),(b) – (ii), (c) – (i), (d) – (iii)

Question 19.
Match the following:

List – I	List – II
(a) Story of life	(i) Memoir
(b) Story from life	(ii) Autobiography
(c) Journals, editorials, etc.	(iii) Primary source of history
(d) Reports, narratives, speeches, etc.	(iv) Secondary source of history

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (i),  (c) – (iv), (d) – (iii)

Question 20.
Match the following:

List – I	List – II
(a) Collection of ‘memory picture	(i) Sarala Devi
(b) “Father of revolutionary thought’	(ii) Jibcansmriti
(c) Suhrid Samiti	(iii) ‘Letters from Father to his Daughter’
(d) Nehru explained to Priyadarshini the difference between man and animals	(iv) Bipin Chandra Pal

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (iv),  (c) – (i), (d) – (iii)

Question 21.
Match the following:

List – I	List – II
(a) Bangadarshan	(i) Internet
(b) Somprakash	(ii) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
(c) Printed journals, newspapers, etc.	(iii) Vidyasagar
(d) People restricted in a room country	(iv) Social problems of the

Answer:
(a) – (ii), (b) – (iii),  (c) – (iv), (d) – (i)

Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 10 History Book Solutions Chapter 8 Post-Colonial India: Second Half of the 20th Century (1947- 1964) offer valuable context and analysis.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 8 Question Answer – Post-Colonial India: Second Half of the 20th Century (1947- 1964)

Class 10 History Chapter 8 Question Answer WBBSE – Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark)

Question 1.
How many independent Princely States did exist in India prior to their accession in the Indian Union ?
Answer:
For long time past there had existed as many as 565 Princely States in India.

Question 2.
Which statement of Clement Atlee complicated the process of accession of the Princely States ?
Answer:
On 20 February 1947 Clement Atlee, the British Premier announced that the British Government had no intention to hand over paramountcy either to India or Pakistan which complicated the process of the Princely States.

Question 3.
What was the statement made by Muhammad Mi Jinnah that encouraged the Princes to retain their independent status?
Answer:
The statement of Mr. Jinnah that the States would be independent sovereign States on the termination of paramountcy encouraged the Princes to retain their independence.

Question 4.
Identify one of the dual policies that Vallabhbhai Patel adopted to complete the accession of the Princely States ?
Answer:
One of the dual policies adopted by Vallabhbhai Patel was to convince the princes the advantages they would derive being acceded to
.
Question 5.
Who protested against the Nawab’s declaration of the accession of Junagadh to Pakistan?
Answer:
As a protest against the Nawab’s declaration the people of Junagadh launched a vigourous movement.

Question 6.
What was the joint declaration made by India and Pakistan regarding the secession of a state ?
Answer:
In the declaration it was agreed by both India and Pakistan that the secession of a state would depend on the decision of the respective rulers of the Princely States.

Question 7.
How was the monarchy in Kashmir replaced by a popular government?
Answer:
Immediately after Han Singh had formally acceded Kashmir to India he abdicated voluntarily following which a popular government headed by Sheikh Abdullah that replaced the monarchy in Kashmir.

Question 8.
Who were the Razakars?
Answer:
Razakczrs were a fanatical group in Hyderabad that entertained wild schemes regarding the future of Hyderabad and were opposed to India.

Question 10.
How was Hyderabad annexed to the Indian Union?
Answer:
When repeated attempts at peaceful solution were of no avail the Government of India was forced to annex Hyderabad by ‘policeaction’.

Question 11.
Was the transfer of population in Punjab a peaceful exercise?
Answer:
No, there was large-scale massacre during the course of the transfer of population in Punjab.

Question 12.
If the refugees from East Pakistan who were the worst sufferers?
Answer:
The worst sufferers were those refugees who took shelter in squatters’ colonies because they were not entitled to government help in any manner.

Question 13.
How was the integration of states effected swiftly?
Answer:
The integration of states was effected swiftly and nicely by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Question 14.
What was the consequence of Andhra being reorganized linguistically?
Answer:
After the reorganization of Andhra as a linguistic state the demand was raised for similar linguistic states.

Question 15.
What are the official languages of the Government of India?
Answer:
English and Hindi are the two official languages recognized by the Government of India.

Class 10 History Chapter 8 Questions and Answers WBBSE – Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)

Question 1.
Why was the accession of the Princely States a matter of concern for india ?
Answer:
The accession of the Princely States was a cause of concern for India. This was because of the fact that many larger and powerful Princes began to dream of independence once the British left the country.

Question 2.
Why was the statement of Muhammad Mi Jinnah unacceptable to the Indian national leaders?
Answer:
In the statement of Mr. Jinnah there was the sly hint that should the Princely States so desired they could retain their independence. This was unacceptable to the Indian national leaders, for, in such an event the unity of India was sure be threatened.

Question 3.
What was the dual policy adopted by Vallabhbbai Patel for the accession of the Princely States with the Indian Union?
Answer:
Vallabhbhai Patel followed a dual policy of carrot and stick for the accession of the Princely States. One was to convince the Princes the advantages they would derive being acceded to India. Second was to get those acceded through application of force in case the appeal was not responded to.

Question 4.
Did Pakistan agree to the principle of plebiscite in the joint declaration by India and Pakistan regarding secession of a state?
Answer:
In a joint declaration by India and Pakistan it was agreed upon by both the sides that secession of a state would depend on the decision of the respective rulers of the Princely States. As such Pakistan refused to accept the principle of plebiscite in deciding the issue of accession.

Question 5.
How was a popular government installed in Kashmir?
Answer:
Immediately after Maharaja Han Singh had abdicated voluntarily a popular government was installed in Kashmir. The government was headed by Sheikh Abdullah. Thus monarchy in Kashmir was replaced by a popular government.

Question 6.
What was the difference between the influx of refugees in Punjab and Bengal?
Answer:
in Punjab there was the exchange of population, mutual transfer of population. But in Bengal it was a one-way traffic, Hindus moving from East Pakistan to West Bengal. While in Punjab the influx was a one-time affair, in West Bengal it continued in several waves.

Question 7.
Who were the worst sufferers of the refugees from East Pakistan to West Bengal?
Or
Why did the refugees taking shelter in squatters’ colonies raise their voice for relief and rehabilitation?
Answer:
The fourth category of the refugees who were shelter-seekers in the squatters’ colonies were the worst sufferers. They were not entitled to any government help in any manner. In course of time they realized that they had no other option but to raise their voice for relief and rehabilitation.

Question 8.
How was Andhra separated from Madras Presidency?
Answer:
It was due to a strong movement of the people of Andhra that it was separated from the Madras Presidency. The movement was led by Patti Srirarnalu who had been a great freedom fighter. He undertook a fast unto death over the demand for separation of Andhra from the Madras Presidency.

Question 9.
What was the difference between the influx of refugees in Punjab and Bengal?
Answer:
in Punjab there was the exchange of population, mutual transfer of population. But in Bengal it was a one-way traffic, Hindus moving from East Pakistan to West Bengal. While in Punjab the influx was a one-time affair, in West Bengal it continued in several waves.

Question 10.
Who were the worst sufferers of the refugees from East Pakistan to West Bengal?
Or
Why did the refugees taking shelter in squatters’ colonies raise their voice for relief and rehabilitation?
Answer:
The fourth category of the refugees who were shelter-seekers in the squatters’ colonies were the worst sufferers. They were not entitled to any government help in any manner. In course of time they realized that they had no other option but to raise their voice for relief and rehabilitation.

Question 11.
How was Andhra separated from Madras Presidency?
Answer:
It was due to a strong movement of the people of Andhra that it was separated from the Madras Presidency. The movement was led by Patti Srirarnalu who had been a great freedom fighter. He undertook a fast unto death over the demand for separation of Andhra from the Madras Presidency.

Question 12.
What was the importance of integration of states into the Union of India?
Answer:
The integration of states was the greatest historical event of the country. The integration foiled the British attempt to leave the country in a mess at the time of their withdrawal. The integration was completed in such a speed that it surprised everybody.

Question 13.
Why was the States’ Reorganization Commission formed?
Answer:
The creation of Andhra on the basis of language created a spark that created a flutter all over the country with similar demands. In this background, the States Reorganization Commission was formed with Fazi Ah as Chairman. The Commission submitted its report in 1955.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 8 Questions and Answers – Analytical Answer Questions (4 Marks)

Question 1.
How did the announcements made by Clement Atlee and Muhammad Ah Jinnah complicate the issue of accession of the Princely States to the Indian Union?
Answer:
Cement Atlee, the then British Prime Minister announced that the British Government had no intention to handover paramounty to either India or Pakistan. Muhammad Mi Jinnah, in an open statement, said that the Princely States would be independent sovereign states following the British withdrawal.

The two statements complicated the process of integration of the Princely States. The reason is not far too seek. In view of such statements the Princes of several Princely States claimed that they would become independent as soon as the British rule in India came to an end. The attitude of some of the Princely States, obviously, complicated the issue of accession of their States to the Indian Union.

Question 2.
What was the response of the Princely States to the call of Vallabhbhaj Patel?
Answer:
Sardar Patel followed the dual policy of carrot and stick.

• First, he tried to Convince the princes the advantages they would derive being acceded to India.
• In the cases where the appeal was not responded to he did not hesitate to get those acceded through the application of force. Of the princely states that responded to the call of Sardas Pate! mention may be made of Bhopal, Coochbehar, Tripura, Manipur, etc.

There were also a number of states that merged with the neighbouring provinces. These were : The princely state of Myurbhanj merged with Orissa (present Odisa), Koihapur joined with Bombay, and Benaras with Uttar Pradesh. In a similar manner many other small states acceded to India. By 15 August 1947 excepting the states of Junagadh, Jammu-Kashmir and Hyderabad all the princely states joined India.

Question 3.
How was Junagadh acceded to the Indian Union?
Answer:
Situated on the coast of Saurashtra and surrounded by Indian territory Junagadh created some problem in its accession to India. Muhammad Muhabat Khanji III, the ruling Nawab of Junagadh, despite the wishes of the people declared the accession of the state to Pakistan. As a protest against this the people of Junagadh launched a movement.

Unable to resist this Nawab fled to Pakistan. In November 1947 the Government of India took over the administration at the express desire of the people of Junagadh. Later on Junagadh was merged into Saurashtra according to the desire of the people. However, Muhammad Muhabat Khanji III was the last Nawab of the princely state of Junagadh.

Question 4.
How was Hyderabad acceded to the Indian Union?
Answer:
Hyderabad was the largest of the princely states, and was surrounded on all sides by Indian territory. Mir Osman Mi Khan Asaf Jah VII was the ruling Nizam of Hyderabad. He refused to join either India or Pakistan, and preferred to remain as the ruler of an independent kingdom.

But an independent Hyderabad kingdom was, as it were, a dagger pointed to the heart of India. However, the prevailing internal chaos and confusion in Hyderabad became a cause of alarm to the Government of India.Nizam at that time fell under the influence of a fanatical group called Razakars who entertained wild schemes regarding the future of the state and were opposed to India.

When repeated protests and attempts at peaceful solution seemed to be of no avail the Government of India decided upon ‘police action’ in Hyderabad. Indian military forces under the command of General J.N. Chaudhuri entered Hyderabad 13 September (1949) and by 16th Nizain surrendered. In November, the Nizam formally joined the Indian Union. This was how Hyderabad was annexed to India.

Question 5.
How was Kashmir acceded to the Indian Union?
Answer:
When the British left India Maharaja Han Singh of Kashmir could not decide upon the accession of his State. Unable to decide the Maharaja concluded Standstill Agreement with India and Pakistan to maintain status quo that had existed before 15 August 1947. From that time onwards Pakistan started exercising pressure upon the Maharaja to complete him to accede to Pakistan.

But the Maharaja found that the frontier tribesmen with the support of Pakistan marched into Kashmir and proceeded towards Srinagar to force the issue of accession. In such a situation the Maharaja sought the help of the Government of India and pressed for the accession of Kashmir to the Indian Union.

After the formal accession of Kashmir (26 October 1949) Indian military forces were rushed to Kashmir. Srinagar was saved by driving out the raiders from Pakistan. Simultaneously, a popular government headed by Sheikh Abdullah replaced the monarchy in Kashmir. The Maharaja of Kashmir abdicated voluntarily.

Question 6.
What was the difference between Punjab and West Bengal in respect of the movement of refugees ?
Answer:
In the partition of Punjab there was the exchange of population. Hindus came from western Punjab to India, and the Muslims moving from eastern Punjab to Paldstan. This exchange of population, however, was not at all peaceful. There had been large-scale massacres during the course

Question 7.
Narrate two eye-witness accounts of the plight of the refugees in Punjab and in Bengal.
Answer:
Kuldip Nayar, the renowned journalist, narrated in a column published in the Statesman what he had seen with his own eyes at the time of leaving his native home in Sialkot on 14 August 1947. He wrote “I saw the pain-etched faces man and women with their meager belongings bundled on their heads and their fear-stricken children following them.

Both Hindus and Muslims had left behind their hearth, homes, friends and neighbours Recollecting his memories as a resident of Bijaygarh colony in the outskirts of Calcutta, Himangsu Mazumder stated the following in an interview:

“There was no colony as such when I came here with my father from our desh, Barisal. It was November or December 1947 I got a plot of five or six cottahs on my first night at Calcutta. We constructed a thatched hut to live in. We used Hogla leaves to cover our roof. The land was low-lying and marshy. We cleared the land, installed tube-well and made the place liveable…” (quoted by Anasua Basu Roychaudhury).

Question 8.
What was the controversy that erupted in the Government initiative in rehabilitating the refugees ?
Answer:
The Government of India’s initiative in rehabilitating the refugees was not beyond controversy. In fact, the sincere efforts the government had taken in settling and rehabilitating the refugees from West Pakistan was found missing in case of the refugees who had to leave their homeland in East Pakistan.

The Hindu and Sikh refugees moving from West Pakistan occupied deserted houses or fallow land in Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. In Punjab itself about two hundred camps or tenements were raised for rehabilitating the refugees. Besides as many as nineteen suburban towns were built for rehabilitation of the refugees. But in the case of rehabilitating the refugees in West Bengal a step motherly attitude of the Government of India was noticeable.

The refugees were shifted from the platforms of Sealdah station to hastily improvised government camps. The only difference between the migration in Punjab and that of West Bengal was that the former was a one-time affair while the influx of refugees from East Pakistan continued in waves for several years.

Question 9.
What were the proposals on the basis of which the states were to be reorganized?
Answer:
The borders of the states inherited from British India by independent India was found not suitable for easy administration. Thus the Government of India found it necessary to reorganize the state boundaries. There had been several proposals on the basis of which the states were to be reorganized. Of the proposals, two were found to be important.

i. First was to reorganize the states on the basis of languages of India. This, it was hoped, would make administration easier; and would replace the caste and religion-based identities.

ii. It was also realized that states formed solely on the basis of linguistic considerations was not to the larger interests of the Indian nation. In view of this it was recommended that the states be reorganized on the basis of geographical contiguity, ease of administration and financial self-sufficiency. However, in order to reorganize the states, the Government of India constituted the States Reorganization Commission under the chairmanship of Fazi Ah.

Class 10 History Chapter 8 Questions and Answers West Bengal Board – Explanatory Answer Questions (8 Marks)

Question 1.
What were the announcements made by Clement Atlee and Mueammad Ali Jinnah that complicated the issue of accession of States to the Indian Union ? What was the attitude of the national leaders to the announcements ?
Answer:
a. The Announcements: Clement Atlee, the then British Prime Minister announced that the British Government had no intention to handover paramountcy to either India or Pakistan. Muhammad Ali Jinnah, in an open statement, said that the Princely States would be independent sovereign states following the British withdrawal.

The two statements complicated the process of integration of the Princely States. The reason is not far too seek. In view of such statements the Princes of several Princely States claimed that they would become independent as soon as the British rule in India came to an end. The attitude of some of the Princely States, obviously, complicated the issue of accession of their States to the Indian Union.

b. Attitude of the National Leaders : The situation was hardly acceptable to the Indian nationalists as the unity of free India would be jeopardized and put into peril by the presence of hundreds of autonomous states within it. Obviously, the nationalist leaders rejected the idea of independence of any of the princely states.

It was clearly stated that the only option left with the princely states was to accede to India or Pakistan. It was Vallabhbhai Patel who with great skill and diplomacy successfully completed the accession of the princely states with the Indian Union. Sardar Patel followed the dual policy of carrot and stick,

• First, he tried to convince the princes the advantages they would derive being acceded to India,
• In the cases where the appeal was not responded to he did not hesitate to get those acceded through the application of force.

Question 2.
How were Junagadh and Kashmir acceded to the Indian Union ?
Answer:
a. Junagadh : Situated on the coast of Saurashtra and surrounded by Indian territory Junagadh created some problem in its accession to India. Muhammad Muhabat Khanji III, the ruling Nawab of Junagadh, despite the wishes of the people declared the accession of the state to Pakistan. As a protest against this the people of Junagadh launched a movement.

Unable to resist this Nawab fled to Pakistan. In November 1947 the Government of India took over the administration at the express desire of the people of Junagadh. Later on Junagadh was merged into Saurashtra according to the desire of the people. However, Muhammad Muhabat Khanji III was the last Nawab of the princely state of Junagadh.

b. Kashmir : When the British left India Maharaja Hari Singh of Kashmir could not decide upon the accession of his State. Unable to decide the Maharaja concluded Standstill Agreement with India and Pakistan to maintain status quo that had existed before 15 August 1947. From that time onwards Pakistan started exercising pressure upon the Maharaja to compel him to accede to Pakistan. But the Maharaja found that the frontier tribesmen with the support of Pakistan marched into Kashmir and proceeded towards Srinagar to force the issue of accession.

In such a situation the Maharaja sought the help of the Government of India and pressed for the accession of Kashmir to the Indian Union. After the formal accession of Kashmir (26 October 1949) Indian military forces were rushed to Kashmir. Srinagar was saved by driving out the raiders from Pakistan. Simultaneously, a popular government headed by Sheikh Abdullah replaced the monarchy in Kashmir. The Maharaja of Kashmir abdicated voluntarily.

Question 3.
Why was ‘police action’ needed for the accession of Hyderabad ?
Answer:
Hyderabad was the largest of the princely states, and was surrounded by Indian territory. At the time the British left India Mir Osman Ali Khan Asaf Jah VII was the ruling Nizam of Hyderabad . He refused to join either India or Pakistan, and preferred to remain as the ruler of an independent kingdom.

But an independent Hyderabad kingdom was, as it were, a dagger pointed to the heart of India. It was not desirable for the Government of India from the consideration of defense, security as well as the solidarity of the Indian nation. The prevailing internal chaos and confusion in Hyderabad which was a cause of alarm to the Government of India further complicated the situation.

Nizam at that time fell under the influence of a fanatical group called Razakars who entertained wild schemes regarding the future of the state and were opposed to India. In fact, a reign of terror was let loose in Hyderabad by the Razakars under the leadership of Qasim Rizvi. The Razakars even carried on depredations on the borders of Indian provinces of Madras, Central Province and Bombay.

When repeated protests and attempts at peaceful solution seemed to be of no avail and the danger to people and their life and property continued unabated the Government of India decided upon ‘police action’ in Hyderabad. Indian military forces under the command of General J.N. Chaudhuri entered Hyderabad 13 September (1949) and by 16th Nizam surrendered. In November, the Nizam formally joined the Indian Union. This was how Hyderabad was annexed to India.

Question 4.
What was the difference between Punjab and West Bengal in respect of the movement of refugees ? Why did the refugees of Bengal raise their voice for relief and rehabilitation ?
Answer:
a. Difference between Punjab and Bengal: In the partition of Punjab there was the exchange of population. Hindus came from western Punjab to India, and the Muslims moving from eastern Punjab to Pakistan. This exchange of population, however, was not at all peaceful. There had been large-scale massacre during the course of the transfer of population.

In any case the transfer of population in Punjab was a onetime affair. But in case of Bengal the picture was completely different. Partition resulted in killing of several thousands of people. A few times more than that people were displaced and uprooted from their homeland were to find their way to the Indian side of Bengal (West Bengal). What is worse was that the influx of people from East to West, that is to say, from former East Pakistan (and present Bangladesh) to West Bengal has been a continuing affair and remains ‘as inescapable part of our reality’.

b. Refugees of Bengal Raised their Voice : Hironmoy Banerjee, the then Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner from June 1949, classified the early migrants from East Pakistan into three categories. But there was also a fourth who were shelter-seekers in squatters’ colonies. In fact, they were the worst sufferers as they were not entitled for government help in any manner.

In course of time they realized that they had no other option but to raise their voice for relief and rehabilitation. In 1948 All Bengal Refugee Council for Action was formed. Thus the refugees from East Pakistan for the first time began agitational politics. In 1950 the United Central Refugee Council (UCRC) was formed in the wake of a movement against the proposed Eviction Bill. The UCRC worked as the spokesman of the helpless migrants from East Pakistan.

Question 5.
How was the states’ reorganization finally completed ?
Answer:
The borders of the states inherited from British India by independent India was found not suitable for easy administration. Thus the Government of India found it necessary to reorganize the state boundaries. There had been several proposals on the basis of which the states were to be reorganized. Of the proposals two were found to be important.

• was to reorganize the states on the basis of languages of India. This, it was hoped, would make administration easier; and would replace the caste and religion-based identities.
• It was also realized that states formed solely on the basis of linguistic considerations was not to the larger interests of the Indian nation. In view of this it was recommended that the states be reorganized on the basis of geographical contiguity, ease of administration and financial self-sufficiency. However, in order to reorganize the states, the Government of India constituted the States Reorganization Commission under the chairmanship of Fazl Ali.

i. The Commission submitted its report on 30 September 1955. The main features in the report were :

• The Indian Union was to consist of 16 States.
• Special safeguards were recommended for linguistic minorities.
• Reconstitution of certain All India Services.
• Emphasis on the need for encouraging the study of Indian languages, and English to continue as an important language in educational institutions.

ii. On the basis of the recommendations of the SRC the State Reorganization Act was passed by the Indian Parliament in 1956.

iii. The Act provided for fourteen States and six Union Territories.

iv. Telengana was joined with Andhra Pradesh. Again, Malabar and Travancore-Cochin were clubbed together to become present Kerala. Similar other adjustments had to be made to give effect to the Act of 1956.

v. But the creation of new states was far from over. Tension ran high between Marathi and Gujarati-speaking people of Bombay. Thus were born Gujarat and Maharashtra in 1960.

vi. Akali leader Master Tara Singh’s demand for a separate homeland for Sikhs in Punjab was also gaining ground. Subsequently, on lines of bifurcation of Bombay, the states of Punjab and Haryana were created.

vii. Bowing to the demand of the Nagas, Nagaland was curved out of Assam in 1963. Assam had to face another surgery with the formation of Meghalaya. The map of the Indian states has undergone further changes since 1966. Presently the Indian Union consists of 29 states and 7 Union Territories.

Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 10 History Book Solutions Chapter 7 Movements Organized by Women, Students, and Marginal People in 20th Century India: Characteristics and Analyses offer valuable context and analysis.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 7 Question Answer – Movements Organized by Women, Students, and Marginal People in 20th Century India: Characteristics and Analyses

Class 10 History Chapter 7 Question Answer WBBSE – Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark)

Question 1.
The emotional hymn Bande Mataram appears in which novel of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee?
Answer:
Bande Mataram hymn appears in the Anandamath novel authored by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

Question 2.
Who was the first lady President of the Indian National Congress ?
Answer:
Annie Besant became the first lady President of the Indian National Congress in 1917.

Question 3.
The first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress was :
Answer:
The first Indian woman to become the President of the Indian National Congress was Sarojini Naidu.

Question 4.
In what ways the Parsee and Christian women residing in Bombay participate in the Non Co-operation Movement ?
Answer:
The Parsee and Christian women residing in Bombay participated in the Non Co-operation Movement by advocating female education.

Question 5.
Who organized the Dipali Sangha in Dhaka, the capital of present Bangladesh?
Answer:
It was Leela Roy in 1924 organized the Dipali Sangha in Dhaka.

Question 6.
What was the Chhatri Sangha?
Answer:
The Chhatri Sangha was a female students’ organization of Calcutta founded in 1928.

Question 7.
What was the appeal made by Subhas Chandra Bose in the first meeting of the Azad Hind Fauj in Singapore ?
Answer:
In the meeting Subhas Chandra Bose appealed to the women to join as volunteers in the women regiment to be set up under the Azad Hind Fauj.

Question 8.
Who was to become the first martyr in Midnapur when he was arrested by the British police?
Answer:
In Tamluk of present Midnapur a student leader named Gunadhar Hazra became the first martyr when he was arrested by the British police.

Question 9.
Who made an abortive attempt on the life of Stanley Jackson in 1932 ?
Answer:
It was Bina Das who made an abortive attempt on the life of Stanley Jackson.

Question 10.
Who organized the Mahad Satyagraha ?
Answer:
It was B.R. Ambedkar who organized the Mahad Satyagraha in South Bombay.

Class 10 History Chapter 7 Questions and Answers WBBSE – Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)

Question 1.
When did for the first time the Indian womenfolk come forward to play an active role in the polities of the country ?
Answer:
The first occasion when the womenfolk of India came forward to play an active role in the country was the anti-Partition agitation. It was during the anti-Partition agitation that womenfolk, so long confined to household activities, came forward to play an active role in politics.

Question 2.
How did Saraladebi Choudhurani contribute to the cause of India’s freedom struggle ?
Answer:
Saraladebi’s single contribution lay in the formation of youth groups. Besides, Saraladebi by spreading the gospel of nationalism and maintaining close links with the revolutionary secret societies contributed to the cause of India’s struggle for freedom.

Question 3.
How did the womenfolk of Calcutta observed the day of Partition as the day of protest ?
Answer:
Throughout Bengal women observed the day of Partition as a ‘day of protest’. On the day of Partition about 500 women gathered on the day of Partition in North Calcutta to watch the foundation of the Federation Hall, which was a symbol of unity of the Bengali people.

Question 4.
How did Basanti Debi participate in the Non Co-operation Movement ?
Answer:
The Non Co-operation Movement was an opportunity when women were politicized with leadership abilities. During the Movement Bengali women under the leadership of Basanti Devi organized a demonstration before the shops selling foreign goods. Also Basanti Debi along with others hawked khaddar (homespun cloth) in the Calcutta streets.

Question 5.
How did Sarojini Naidu serve as an inspiration to the womenfolk of India join national movement ?
Answer:
On the call of Gandhiji Sarojini Naidu encouraged women to form their own political organization. Thus Rashtriya Stree Sangha came to be established which was to work within the Congress fold. However, entry of Sarojini Naidu to the high post as that of the President of the Indian National Congress served as an inspiration to the womenfolk to join national movement.

Question 6.
What was the nature of women participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Answer:
Between 1930 and 1932 women in many places played an important role as they conducted picketing in front of the shops selling foreign goods. Calcutta women made and sold salt. The capital city also became the centre of revolutionary struggle when the women’s colleges became centres of recruiting women revolutionaries.

Question 7.
What incident immortalized Midnapur in the freedom movement during the Quit India Movement ?
Answer:
The incident that immortalized Midnapur in the history of the freedom movement during the Quit India Movement was the heroic feat of Matangini Hazra, a 73-year-old lady. In September 1942 Matangini Hazra urged the crowd onward and refused to stop. In fact she led the crowd in capturing the court and Police Station of Tamluk.

Question 8.
Would you say that there had been no encouragement from any quarter to encourage the women to join the revolutionary struggle ?
Answer:
Indeed, the revolutionary secret societies made no concerted efforts to encourage the participation of womenfolk as Gandhiji had done in regard to non-violent activities. As the ideology of the time was too conservative women were, initially, not included in the gupta-samitis (revolutionary secret societies).

Question 9.
What was the real motive of the Dipali Sangha behind the ostensible purpose of spreading education.
Answer:
Behind the ostensible purpose of spreading education amongst women the real intention was to initiate the members of the sangha to revolutionary ideal. Besides, even more remarkable was its work in the sphere of women’s rights movement.

Question 10.
What was the most remarkable of the work of the Dipali Sangha of Dhaka ?
Answer:
Dipali Sangha of Dhaka deserves credit for organizing the first female students’ movement in present Bangladesh. However, the most remarkable of Dipali Sangha’s work for the advancement of women was in the field of women’s rights.

Question 11.
How did Pritilata Waddedar bring an end to her life after an attempt to revolutionary attack ?
Answer:
Pritilata Waddedar was the young women who took part in the Chittagong Armoury Raid. After Pritilata sustained a bullet injury she handed over her revolver to a fellow revolutionary and herself put an end to the life by consuming potassium cynide on the failure of the mission.

Question 12.
How did Kalpana Datta join the revolutionary group of Surya Sen ?
Answer:
Kalpana Datta, Bina Das and many others were all major actors in the armed movement of the 1930s. Kalpana Datta became a member of the Chittagong branch of the Indian Republican Army and became a part of the armed resistance group led by Suiya Sen (Masterda).

Question 13.
Who was Captain Lakshmi Sehgal ?
Answer:
Encouraged by the call given by Subhas Chandra Bose to oppose the British Lakshmi Sehgal joined the Azad Hind Fauj as a volunteer. Having a mandate from Subhas Chandra Bose Lakshmi Sehgal, later Captain Sehgal, set up an all-women regiment of Azad Hind Fauj which was to be called Rani of Jhansi Regiment.

Question 14.
What role did the student community play in the freedom movement ?
Answer:
During the freedom movement the student community played a vital role in lodging protest against the misdeeds of the colonial British rulers. In fact, from the anti-Partition agitation down to the Quit India Movement a remarkable role was played by the student community of the country for wresting freedom from the colonial rulers. In 1946 a series of protest meetings and processions were organized by the students.

Question 15.
How did the student community respond to the visit of the Simon Commission ?
Answer:
Responding to the call for a countrywide demonstration against the visit of the Simon Commission the student community of the country organized massive protest. The students of Bengal as also in other parts of the country raised the slogan Go back Simon. The students wore tri – colour badges and organized strike.

Question 16.
How did the student community of Bengal participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement ?
Answer:
Between 1930 and 1933 as many as fifteen thousand students in Bengal were imprisoned by the British on the charge of violating Section 144 for picketing in front of business establishments. In Midnapur, West Bengal, the students played a remarkable role paralyzing schools and colleges. The students also encouraged lakhs of peasants to offer Satyagraha.

Question 17.
How did the students of Bengal organize open rebellion during the Quit India Movement ?
Answer:
During the 1940s the students of Bengal went into action in defence of civil rights. As a protest against the imposition of the Section 144 of CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code) the students did not hesitate to defy the restrictive orders. Students like Pulin Sen, Birendranath Sasmal, Srimati Abha Maiti and others of Midnapur found in Gandhiji’s an opportunity for open rebellion.

Question 18.
Why was the Anti-Circular Society established ?
Answer:
The Carlyle Circular (1905) issued by the British government threatened punitive measures against the students participating in politics. As a protest the Anti-Circular Society was formed by Sachindra Prasad Basu. Apart from encouraging the students to participate in the anti-British movement the Anti-Circular Society also made necessary arrangements for education of the students who were expelled from schools and colleges by the British authorities.

Question 19.
Which of the revolutionaries did assist Surya Sen in organizing the Chittagong Armoury Raid?
Answer:
The most important revolutionary attempt of Surya Sen was the raid that he organized upon the Chittagong Armoury on 18 April 1930. In organizing the Chittagong Armoury Raid Surya Sen was assisted by revolutionaries like Loknath Baul, Ganesh Ghosh and others.

Question 20.
What was the Corridor Warfare ?
Answer:
The encounter that took place between the British Police and the three revolutionaries, Benoy-Badal-Dinesh, at the Writers’ Buildings, Calcutta, became famous in history as the Corridor Warfare. On 8 December 1930, the three revolutionaries entered the Writers’ Buildings and fatally shot Colonel Simpson, the then Inspector-General of Prisons.

Question 21.
What was the revolutionary feat of Bina Das ?
Answer:
Bina Das was a major actor in the armed movement of the 1930s. In 1932, Bina Das made an attempt on the life of Stanley Jackson, the then Governor of Bengal, though the attempt had failed.

Question 22.
Why was the ‘Rashid Ali Day5 observed ?
Answer:
The British Government had imposed seven years’ rigorous imprisonment sentence on Captain Abdul Rashid Ali, an officer of the Indian National Army. On 11 February 1946 the students of Calcutta observed the Rashid Ali Day as a protest against Rashid’s imprisonment and raised the demand for his release.

Question 23.
Why was the Mahad Satyagraha organized ?
Answer:
Mahad Satyagraha was organized under the leadership of B.R. Ambedkar in March 1927. The Satyagraha was organized on the demand to allow the dalits to use the water of a disputed tank at Mahad town in Maharashtra.

Question 24.
Why was the Poona Pact (1932) signed ?
Answer:
The ‘Communal Award’ (1932) of the British sought to create divisions in different Indian communities. Even the Award attempted to create division amongst the Hindus. The Poona Pact was signed between Ambedkar and others representing the Hindu Depressed Class and Rajendra Prasad and others representing Caste Hindu to foil British attempt to create divisions within the Hindu community.

Question 25.
Why is Harichand Thakur important ?
Answer:
Harichand Thakur is important as he tried to unite the Namasudras in the struggle against the exploitation of the Brahmin priests as also Brahmin zamindars. In fact, it was through the introduction of Mathua religion by Harichand Thakur that the Namasudras emerged as a united power.

Question 26.
Why is Guruchand Thakur remembered ?
Answer:
Guruchand Thakur is remembered because it was he who devoted himself to the uplift of the Namasudras. Also it was he who was responsible for the spread of education amongst the Namasudras. As such he is regarded as the ‘father of the Namasudra renaissance’.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 7 Questions and Answers – Analytical Answer Questions (4 Marks)

Question 1.
How did womenfolk participate in the anti-Partition agitation ?
Answer:
One of the remarkable features of the anti-partition agitation was the participation of women. Yet it was limited in extent, as pointed out by Professor Sumit Sarkar, with the exception of Saraladebi Choudhurani, no one dreamt of including women in the movement.

• Saraladebi spread the gospel of nationalism in Punjab and maintained close links with the Suhrid Samiti of Mymensingh (in present Bangladesh), a secret revolutionary society.
• Recent researches, however, revealed that apart from Saraladebi there were many other women who were drawn into the political struggle during the anti-partition agitation.
• The day of Partition (16 October 1905) was observed by the women throughout Bengal as the day of protest.
• In Dacca, an eleven-year old little girl, Ashalata Sen, under the inspiration of her grandmother, Nabashashi Sen, went visiting house after house encouraging women to join the Swadeshi cause.
• A report published in the Bamabodhini Patrika stated “Women like men are organizing meetings in towns as well as villages to express sorrow at the partition of Bengal, and are taking the swadeshi vows ” Women also played an important role in the revolutionary phase of the anti partition movement.

Question 2.
How did the womenfolk participate in the Non Co-operation Movement ?
Answer:
The interest in politics that the Swadeshi Movement had roused amongst women continued in the following decades.

• During the Non Co-operation days the Bengali women were led by Basanti Devi, the wife of Chittaranjan Das (C.R. Das). Under her leadership a demonstration of women was organized before the shops selling foreign goods.
• Basanti Devi became the President of the Bengal Provincial Congress in 1921. Her participation in politics protest encouraged others to join the Non Co-operation.
• Following Gandhiji’s doctrine of reviving the village economy, Urmila Debi devoted herself primarily to the setting up of an organization for popularizing spinning and weaving among women.
• Sarojini Naidu became the Congress President in 1926. She was the first Indian woman to become the Congress President. Entry of Sarojini Naidu to the high post served as an inspiration to the womanhood of India.

Question 3.
Write in short about the participation of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Answer:
The Non Co-operation Movement was abruptly called off by Gandhiji because of the Chauri Chaura incident. Yet Indian women’s interest in politics did not subside.

a. During the era of Civil Disobedience Movement women in many places of the country played an important role as they conducted picketing in front of the shops selling foreign goods.

b. Women’s participation in the Movement, however, took various forms. While Parsee and Christian women residing in Bombay advocated female education, the Gujarati women, under the influence of Gandhiji, aimed at the attainment of Swaraj and women’s freedom.

c. In Bengal, women leaders like Kumudini Bose, Latika Ghosh and Hemalata Tagore made sincere efforts promoting women’s welfare and training of women in some useful crafts.

d. In U.P. Swarup Rani Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru’s mother, burdened with age did not hesitate to vote for khadi in the streets. Thus Gandhiji’s Civil Disobedience found wonderful response from the Indian womenfolk.

Question 4.
What was the nature of women’s participation in the Quit India Movement ?
Answer:
Women’s participation in the Quit India Movement took various forms in rural and urban areas of the country. While in the rural areas the peasant women protested against prevalent land-system in city areas the message of fight for freedom was propagated through radio transmitter.

• In the rural areas the peasant women joined the men in lodging protest against the hike in land-revenue and other taxes imposed illegally. Also the women protested against the landholders’ rights.
• In Midnapur district of West Bengal, during the course of the Quit India Movement, the peasants attacked the police stations, even the communication network was disrupted by destroying telegraph lines.
• In Midnapur Srimati Matangini Hazra, a 73-year old widow, gave the lead in capturing the court and the police station of Tamluk.
• Usha Mehta, a patriot to the very core of her heart, set up a radio transmitter, known as the Voice of Freedom. Her intention was to circulate the information of war of freedom amongst the people of the country.
• It is quite evident from what is stated above that the women of India played a commendable role in the Quit India Movement.

Question 5.
In what way the participation of women in revolutionary struggle was different from that of the non-violent struggle ?
Answer:
In the revolutionary struggle participation of women presented a different picture than that of non-violent struggle. The difference between the two may be summed up as follows :

a. Women’s involvement in the non-violent struggle had the support and encouragement of Gandhiji. But the women who participated in the armed struggle joined it of their own. That is to say, there had been no encouragement from any quarter to enthuse the women to join the revolutionary struggle.

b. In fact, the revolutionary secret societies made no concerted efforts to encourage the participation of women as Mahatma Gandhi had done in regard to the non-violent activities.

c. Another important point to be noted is that direct participation of women in the revolutionary movement was not feasible also due to certain constraints.

d. However, in general the indirect participation of women helped the revolutionaries silently from the background. In the above context the revolutionary activities of Pritilata Waddedar, Kalpana Datta and many others may be remembered.

Question 6.
How did the students participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement ?
Answer:
At the call of Mahatma Gandhi the student community of Bengal participated in a big way to the Non Co-operation Movement.

a. Thousands of students left government schools and colleges and joined national schools and colleges. Gandhiji had no hesitation in saying that he had no doubt that the ‘students of Bengal would give the lead in our sustained struggle for freedom.’

b. In 1921 when the Prince of Wales came to Calcutta a large number of students demonstrated before the Prince showing him black flags.

c. The day of his visit was also marked by a complete strike in all the schools and colleges.

d. The students’ movement during the Non Co-operation did not remain confined to Calcutta alone. In Tamluk, in Medinipur district of West Bengal, a student leader named Gunadhar Hazra became the first martyr when he was arrested by the British police.

Question 7.
In what context was the Anti-Circular Society formed in 1905 ?
Answer:
It is well known that the student community of Bengal took an active part in the Anti-Partition Movement. The British Government with a view to keeping the students away from politics took up various measures.

• Circulars were issued forbidding the students to associate themselves with any political movement.
• Even the slogan Bande Mataram was declared to be a punishable offence.
• Carlyle Circular (1905) threatened punitive measures to those institutions which failed to prevent their students’ participation in politics.
• But all this could not dissuade the students from participating in the anti-Partition agitation. It was in such a context that Anti-Circular Society (1905) was organized by Sachindra Prasad Basu.
• The purpose of the Society was to encourage the students to participate in the Movement against the Partition of Bengal. Moreover the Society also made necessary arrangements for imparting education to the students who had been expelled from schools by the government authorities.

Question 8.
Why was the Dawn Society established ?
Answer:
Satish Chandra Mukheijee sincerely believed that the object of the English education was very narrow. According to him, it served no better purpose than creating some job-seekers.

• Describing the University of Calcutta as the Goldighir Golamkhana, meaning “House of producing slaves of the College Square’, Satish Chandra set up an institution named the Dawn Society.
• The idea behind was to provide opportunities to the Bengali students to become real men through all-round physical, mental and spiritual development.
• It may be said that the Swadeshi and Boycott movements, as also opposition to government circulars made the Dawn Society initiate the national education movement in Bengal.
• The initiative was given a practical shape through the foundation of the National Council of Education in 1905.

Question 9.
Write in short about the revolutionary feat of the Bengal Volunteers.
Answer:
At a time when the Chittagong Armoury Raid created a nation-wide stir, the members of the Bengal Volunteers also known simply as ‘BV’ of Dhaka (Dacca) set an example of terrorist action.

a. In fact, the Bengal Volunteers founded under the initiative of the revolutionary Hem Chandra Ghosh, was responsible for a good number of revolutionary acts. Benoy Krishna Bose, Badal Bose (alias Sudhir) and Dinesh Gupta, the three members of the Bengal Volunteers are popular by the short trio Benoy-Badal-Dinesh.

b. After committing a series of terrorist killings and bombing, the three were again involved in killing Colonel Simpson, the then Inspector of Prisons.

c. On 8 December 1930 the three revolutionaries entered the Writers’ Buildings and fatally shot Simpson. The encounter that took place between the police and the revolutionaries became famous in history as the Corridor Warfare.

d. In the encounter all the three were cornered. Badal Bose and Benoy Bose were killed by the police. Dinesh Gupta, however, was brought to trial and hanged to death by a judgment of the Court.

Question 10.
Write in short about the development of the dalit politics under Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
Answer:
Ambedkar’s maiden entry into Indian politics came about 1919 when he was called to appear before the Franchise Committee working for the implementation of the Reform Act of 1919 (Montague-Chelmsford Reforms). There he argued in favour of communal representation for the dalits.

• Ambedkar’s next major advocacy for the dalit issue was to the Simon Commission in 1928. But before that he organized the Mahad Satyagraha in 1927 which was a great and most sensational struggle.
• Mahad town in Colaba district of south Bombay was the venue of a conference of Dalits. It was in this conference that plan for a satyagraha was chalked out.
• The Mahad Satyagraha may have failed to assure water to the dalits from a disputed tank, yet it did succeed in winning for Ambedkar an unquestioned leadership of the Mahars.
• Dr. Ambedkar’s nomination to the Round Table Conference in 1930 in London was an acknowledgement of the leadership that he had gained. In the Conference Dr. Ambedkar expressed that he wanted the dalits to be politically empowered.

Question 11.
What did inspire the Namasudras of Bengal to hold their heads high?
Answer:
The Namasudras constituted the second largest Hindu caste group in Bengal under the British rule. They lived in the rural areas of the districts of Faridpur, Bakherganj, Jessore, Khulna, etc. (all these are now under the territorial limits of Bangladesh), and Nadia, North 24- Parganas, etc. of West Bengal.

a. In the Bengali Hindu society the Namasudras were looked down upon. They had no social dignity nor did they have any religious rights. As untouchables they had no right even to enter religious places.

b. They were also not allowed to live in a village that had a Brahmin majority. Thus the Namasudras were exploited and suffered from all sorts of social disabilities. It was in this context that a movement was launched in 1872 by Harichand Thakur.

c. What inspired the Namasudras to hold their heads high was the influence of the Bhakti movement. The movement had been started in Bengal by Sri Chaitanya and his disciples during the 15-16 centuries.

d. The avowed goal was the social and spiritual uplift of the down trodden.

e. Another major influence of the Namasudras was that of a sect that developed around Sahlal Pir in rural East Bengal. The Sahlal sect challenged the hierarchy of caste. All these profoundly impacted the Namasudras. They became conscious of their dignity and self respect.

Class 10 History Chapter 7 Questions and Answers West Bengal Board – Explanatory Answer Questions (8 Marks)

Question 1.
How did women participate in the Anti-Partition Movement ?
Answer:
a. Introduction : Twentieth century was marked by the struggle for independence in full swing. It was during the Anti-Partition Movement that women of the country played a significant role.

b. Saraladebi Choudhurani and the Anti-partition Movement: One of the remarkable features of the Swadeshi, an integral part of the anti-partition movement, was the participation of women. Saraladebi firmly believed that the improvement of health of the youths was a primary condition for the success of the national movement. In this endeavour she formed her area (club for physical fitness). Saraladebi spread the gospel of nationalism in Punjab and maintained close links with the Suhrid Samiti of Mymensingh (in present Bangladesh), a secret revolutionary society.

c. Other Women of Calcutta : Apart from Saraladebi there were many other women who were drawn into the political struggle during the anti-partition agitation. Srimati Hemantakumari Choudhuiy was the one who edited the journal Antahpur between 1901 and 1904.

d. On the Day of Partition : The women folk in general also did not turn a deaf ear to the anti-partition movement. The day of Partition (16 October 1905) was observed by the women throughout Bengal as the day of protest. About five hundred women gathered on the day of Partition in North Calcutta to watch the foundation of the Federation Hall, which was a symbol of unity of the Bengali people.

e. Women of the Other Parts of Bengal: In Dhaka, an eleven-year-old little girl, Ashalata Sen, under the inspiration of her grandmother, Nabashashi Sen, went visiting house after house encouraging women to join the Swadeshi cause (From the Seams of History : pi 85 : Ed. Bharati Roy).

f. Other Instances : There are several other instances where even the housewives came out into the open and led processions on the streets. In Barisal, for example, Manorama Basu, a young housewife, led a procession of women.

g. Women of the Revolutionary Phase : A report published in the Bamabodhird Patrika stated “Women like men are organizing meetings in towns as well as villages to express sorrow at the partition of Bengal, and are taking the swadeshi vows ” Women also played an important role in the revolutionary phase of the anti-partition movement.

Question 2.
What was the role of womenfolk in the Non Co-operation and the Civil Disobedience Movements ?
Answer:
i. Non Co-operation Movement : The interest in politics that the Swadeshi Movement had roused amongst women continued in the following decades. In fact the Non Co-operation Movement promised a more active role for women.

a. Basanti Debi : In Bengal, the events took a dramatic turn when C.R. Das, the most important leader of the Congress at the time, decided to sell homespan cloth (khaddai). This was a move to test government’s ban on political demonstrations. Women volunteers, led by Basanti Devi, the wife of Chittaranjan Das, took to the streets and were arrested. Subsequently, under her leadership a demonstration of women was organized before the shops selling foreign goods.

b. Inspiration for Women : Basanti Devi became the President of the Bengal Provincial Congress in 1921. Her participation in politics protest encouraged others to join the Non Co-operation.

c. Urmila Debi : Following Gandhiji’s doctrine of reviving the village economy, Urmila Debi devoted herself primarily to the setting up of an organization for popularizing spinning and weaving amon? women.

d. Sarojini Naidu : Sarojini Naidu became the Congress President in 1926. She was the first Indian woman to become the Congress President. Entry of Sarojini Naidu to the high post served as an inspiration to the womanhood of India.

e. Hemantakumari Choudhury : Many other women were drawn into the Non Co-operation Movement at the call of Gandhiji. Hemantakumari Choudhury became famous as the editor of the women’s journal Antahpur. Later on she became an active Gandhian nationalist and participated in the Non Co-operation.

ii. Civil Disobedience Movement: The Non-Cooperation Movement was suspended by Gandhiji in 1922. But its suspension found its stronger follow-up in the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930). Participation of women in the Civil Disobedience constituted an important chapter in the history of women’s struggle in the freedom movement.

• Picketing : Between 1930 and 1932 women in many places played an important role as they conducted picketing in front of the shops selling foreign goods.
• Various Forms : Women’s participation in the Movement, however, took various forms. While Parsee and Christian women residing in Bombay advocated female education, the Gujarati women, under the influence of Gandhiji, aimed at the attainment of Swaraj and women’s freedom.
• The Bengali Women : In Bengal, women leaders like Kumudini Bose, Latika Ghosh and Hemalata Tagore made sincere efforts promoting women’s welfare and training of women in some useful crafts.
• Women of U.P. : In U.P. Swarup Rani Nehru, Jawaharlal Nehru’s mother, burdened with age did not hesitate to vote for khadi in the streets. Thus Gandhiji’s Civil Disobedience found wonderful response from the Indian womenfolk.

Question 3.
Write about Women’s participation in the Quit India Movement. What was the nature of Women’s participation in the armed revolutionary struggle ?
Answer:
i. Quit India Movement : Women’s participation in the Quit India Movement took various forms in rural and urban areas of the country. While in the rural areas the peasant women protested against prevalent land-system in city areas the message of fight for freedom was propagated through radio transmitter.

a. Women in Different Organizations : By the time Quit India Movement had begun womenfolk became members of different student, peasant and labour organizations.

b. Peasant Women : In the rural areas the peasant women joined the men in lodging protest against the hike in land-revenue and other taxes imposed illegally. Also the women protested against the landholders’ rights.

c. Midnapur in the Quit India Movement : In Midnapur district of West Bengal, during the course of the Quit India Movement, the peasants attacked the police stations, even the communication network was disrupted by destroying telegraph lines.

d. Matangini Hazra : The incident that immortalized Midnapur in the history of the freedom movement was the lead given by Srimati  Movements organized by women, students and the marginal Matangini Hazra, a 73-year old widow in capturing the court and the police station of Tamluk.

e. Usha Mehta : Usha Mehta, a patriot to the very core of her heart, set up a radio transmitter, known as the Voice of Freedom. Her intention was to circulate the information of war of freedom amongst the people of the country. Usha persisted with her task of broadcasting until she was arrested by the British police (12 November 1942) on the charge of sedition.

ii. Nature of Women’s Participation in the Armed Struggle : In the revolutionary struggle participation of women presented a different picture than that of non-violent struggle.

a. No Encouragement to Women : Women’s involvement in the non violent struggle had the support and encouragement of Gandhiji. But the women who participated in the armed struggle joined it of their own. That is to say, there had been no encouragement from any quarter to enthuse the women to join the revolutionary struggle.

b. Difference with Non-violent Struggle : In fact, the revolutionary secret societies made no concerted efforts to encourage the participation of women as Mahatma Gandhi had done in regard to the non-violent activities.

c. Certain Constraints : Another important point to be noted is that direct participation of women in the revolutionary movement was not feasible also due to certain constraints,

• Women were not allowed by their male relatives to join the revolutionary secret societies,
• The risk was too high to allow women to participate in revolutionary feats on an equal basis with men.
• However, in general the indirect participation of women helped the revolutionaries silently from the background.
• In the above context the revolutionary activities of Pritilata Waddedar, Kalpana Datta, Bina Das and many others may be remembered.

Question 4.
In what background was the Anti-Circular Society formed? What was the genesis of the National Council of Education?
Answer:
i. Anti-Circular Society : It is well known that the student community of Bengal took an active part in the Anti-Partition Movement. The British Government with a view to keeping the students away from politics took up various measures.

• Circulars were issued forbidding the students to associate themselves with any political movement.
• Even the slogan Bande Mataram was declared to be a punishable offence.
  Carlyle Circular (1905) threatened punitive measures to those institutions which failed to prevent their students’ participation in politics.
• But all this could not dissuade the students from participating in the anti-Partition agitation. It was in such a context that Anti-Circular Society (1905) was organized by Sachindra Prasad Basu.
• The purpose of the Society was to encourage the students to participate in the Movement against the Partition of Bengal. Moreover the Society also made necessary arrangements for imparting education to the students who had been expelled from schools by the government authorities.

ii. Genesis of the National Council of Education : Satish Chandra Mukherjee sincerely believed that the object of the English education was very narrow. According to him, it served no better purpose than creating some job-seekers.

a. Describing the University of Calcutta as the Goldighir Golam-khana, meaning ‘House of producing slaves of the College Square’ Satish Chandra set up an institution named the Dawn Society.

b. The idea behind was to provide opportunities to the Bengali students to become real men through all-round physical, mental and spiritual development.

c. It may be said that the Swadeshi and Boycott movements, as also opposition to government circulars made the Dawn Society initiate the national education movement in Bengal.

d. The initiative was given a practical shape through the foundation of the National Council of Education in 1905.

e. In August 1906 the National Council of Education was established. Virtually all the distinguished personalities of the country were involved in the Council. The objects of the National Council of Education were stated to be as follows :

• To organize a system of education on national lines and under national control.
• The medium of instruction was to be the vernacular language.
• For the progress of technical education the Bengal Technical Institute was to be set up.

Question 5.
Write what you know about the debate between Gandhiji and Ambedkar regarding the dalit rights.
Answer:
There is little doubt that both Gandhi and Ambedkar were very much aware of the problem of untouchability or the dalits. Yet there was sharp difference between the two regarding the dalit issue.

a. That there was little in common in the perception between Gandhiji and Ambedkar came to the forefront in the early 30s of the nineteenth century.

b. Gandhiji refused to view the dalits as a minority who should be given political safeguards. Rather he considered it essentially a social problem, and that was to be tackled by the Hindu community itself. Contrarily, Ambedkar describing the dalits as ‘slaves’ advocated for communal representation of the Dalits on the ground that ‘untouchability constitutes a definite set of interests which the untouchables alone can speak for.’

c. Throughout 1920s Ambedkar had a soft spot for Gandhi as he took him as one different from the elitist Brahmanic leaders he (Ambedkar) Movements organized by women, students and the marginal hated. The real break between the two surfaced during the events of the Round Table Conference of 1932.

d. In the two Round Table Conferences Ambedkar ended up supporting separate electorate for the untouchables (dalits). But this proved to be too much for Gandhiji. For him the untouchables were a part of Hinduism, and a separate electorate for them would create a division in Hinduism. In his own words ‘it would create a division in Hinduism which I cannot possibly look forward to with any satisfaction what so ever’ (Writings and Speches (Vol II) : Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar : p 662-663j.

e. Subsequent Communal Award and Gandhi’s fast unto death led to the Poona Pact of 1932. It must, however, be remembered that Ambedkar’s agreement in signing the Poona Pact was by no means due to his ‘change of heart’. It was Gandhi’s ‘pressure tactics’ that compelled Ambedkar to soften his stand and accept the compromise formula of the Poona Pact. Later on Ambedkar expressed his unhappiness over the issue and this in the long run increased his bitterness towards Gandhiji.

Question 6.
How did the Namasudra or Mathua Movement progress under the leadership of Harichand Thakur and Guruchand Thakur ?
Answer:
a. Introduction : In the Bengali Hindu society the Namasudras were looked down upon. They had no social dignity nor did they have any religious rights. As untouchables they had no right even to enter religious places. Also they were not allowed to live in a village that had a Brahmin majority. Thus the Namasudras were exploited and suffered from all sorts of social disabilities. It was in this context that a movement was launched in 1872 by Harichand Thakur.

b. Harichand Thakur : Harichand Thakur tried to unite the Namasudras in the struggle against the exploitation of the Brahmin priests as also the Brahmin zamindars. Harichand also introduced the Mathua religion through which the Namasudras emerged as a united power. Behind the movement’s superficial religiosity the emphasis was essentially secular. The primary aims of the movement were :

• Attainment of perfect peace of mind
• Eradication of social inequality, and
• To uplift the downtrodden. Harichand also gave as many as twelve instructions to his followers. After the death of Harichand the leadership of the Mathuas passed on to his son, Guruchand Thakur.

c. Guruchand Thakur : Under the leadership of Guruchand Thakur the Mathua Movement progressed a lot. It was he who was responsible for the spread of educational institutions for the Namasudras. Besides, Uttaloni Sabha (uplift meeting) and Harisabhas were organized for social uplift of the Namasudras.

According to Professor Debi Chatterjee, Guruchand Thakur may well be regarded as the father of the Namasudra renaissance’. He was able to inspire among the Namasudras a sense of urgency regarding the spread of education. In 1907 under the leadership of Guruchand Thakur a delegation met the Governor of Bengal and Assam and appraised him about the plight of the Namasudras

Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 10 History Book Solutions Chapter 6 Peasant, Working Class and Left Movements in 20th Century India:Characteristics and Observations offer valuable context and analysis.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 6 Question Answer – Peasant, Working Class and Left Movements in 20th Century India:Characteristics and Observations

Class 10 History Chapter 6 Question Answer WBBSE – Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark)

Question 1.
What was the weakness of the peasants’ movement in India during the nineteenth century?
Answer:
Major weakness of the peasants movement of the nineteenth century was that they lacked unity and failed to grasp the real significance of colonialism.

Question 2.
What was the characteristic feature of the peasants’ movement in the twentieth century ?
Answer:
The characteristic feature of the peasants’ movement in the twentieth century was that as there was the emergence of political parties the discontent of the peasants merged with general anti-imperialist movement against the British.

Question 3.
What were the features of the anti-Partition agitation?
Answer:
The three main features of the anti-Partition agitation were Boycott, Swadeshi and National Education.

Question 4.
What was the major weakness of the anti-Partition agitation
Answer:
Despite its popular character the anti-Partition agitation was largely confined to the urban middle class.

Question 5.
Did any Leftist leadership of the peasants emerge during the anti-Partition agitation ?
Answer:
As Left politics was yet to emerge there was hardly any question of Leftist leadership of peasants during the anti-Partition agitation.

Question 6.
What was the relation between the Indian National Congress and the peasants’ movement during the Non Co-operation Movement ?
Answer:
With the support of the Congress leaders like Madan Mohan Malviya, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel the movement of the peasantry became a part of the national struggle for independence during the Non Co-operation Movement.

Question 7.
Who did initiate the process of organizing peasants on modern lines ?
Answer:
It was the members of the Home Rule League who initiated the process of organizing the Indian peasantry on modern lines.

Question 8.
How did the Kisan Sabha come to be established first in the United Province (U.P.) ?
Answer:
It was with the support of Madan Mohan Malviya that Kisan Sabha came into existence in 1918 with the initiative of Gaurisankar Misra and Indra Narayan Dwivedi.

Question 9.
How did the Indian Communists carry on their political activities amongst the peasantry before the formation of CPI ?
Answer:
Prior to the formation of the CPI the Indian Communists began their political activities among the peasantry through the nationalist mainstream, the Congress.

Question 10.
Why did the Eka Movement die an untimely death ?
Answer:
The Eka movement died an untimely death because of the severe repression of the colonial British rulers.

Question 11.
Under whose leadership did the peasants of Bardoli begin Satyagraha ?
Answer:
The peasants of Bardoli began Satyagraha under the leadership of Vallabhbhai Patel.

Question 12.
Under whose initiative was the Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha organized ?
Answer:
Economically ruined peasants of Bihar were organized into Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha under the initiative of Sahajanand Saraswati.

Question 13.
Who were the founders of the Andhra Provincial Ryot’s Association ?
Answer:
In Andhra Pradesh the peasants’ organization named Andhra Pradesh Ryot’s Association came to be established under the initiative of N.G. Ranga and M.B. Naidu.

Question 14.
What was the new type of movement begun by the peasants of U.P. during the Civil Disobedience Movement ?
Answer:
The new type of peasants’ movement that began in U.P. was a call for ‘no-revenue and no-rent’ campaign.

Question 15.
Why is the second phase of the Civil Disobedience Momeve- ment in U.P. important ?
Answer:
The second phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement in U.P. was important because at that time people of the countryside were also drawn into the Congress agitation.

Question 16.
I Was the first left-wing peasants’ organization exclusively consisted of peasants ?
Answer:
The Indian Left-wingers initially did not conceive of an organization exclusively of the peasants, rather it was bracketed with workers.

Question 17.
What was the opinion expressed by R.S. Nimbkar, a veteran Communist leader, regarding the Bardoli Satyagraha of the peasants ?
Answer:
In the opinion of Nimbkar the Bardoli Satyagraha was an anti imperialist struggle of mixed classes of people, not exclusively of the peasants.

Question 18.
I Was the agrarian policy adopted by the Congress Socialists more radical than that of the Congress ?
Answer:
It is quite evident from the resolutions adopted by the Congress Socialists that the demands put forward by them were more radical than those of the Congress.

Question 19.
Mention an important aspect of the Quit India Movement.
Answer:
An important aspect of the Quit India Movement was that it did not assume the character of anti-landlordism.

Question 20.
In what way was the Quit India Movement different from the earlier movements in so far as the peasantry was concerned?
Answer:
Unlike the mass agitation launched by the Congress in 1920 and 1930 the peasantry was in no mood to undertake ‘no-rent, no-revenue’ campaign.

Question 21.
Which was the first peasant organization of the Communists?
Answer:
The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) set up in 1936 was the first peasant organization of the Communists on an all-India basis.

Question 22.
On what ground the Congress did not lend its blessings to the AU India Kisan Sabha set up by the Communists?
Answer:
The Congress leadership refused to give its blessings to the AIKS declaring at its Haripura Session (1938) that ‘Congress itself is in the main a kisan organization’.

Question 23.
When did the working class as it is understood today emerge in india?
Answer:
It was not before the second half of the nineteenth century that working class, as understood today, made their appearance in India.

Question 24.
How did the Congress react to the Partition of Bengal?
Answer:
The Benaras Session of the Congress (1905) made an emphatic protest against the Partition of Bengal as also the repressive measures adopted by the colonial British Government towards the protesters.

Question 25.
Mention a significant feature of the working class movement during the Non Co-operation Movement.
Answer:
A significant feature of the working class movement during that period was, the working class set up its own organization on an all India basis to defend its class rights.

Question 26.
Which was the first trade union proper in India?
Answer:
The Madras Labour Union set up by B.P. Wadia in 1918 was the first trade union proper in india.

Question 27.
How did the Congress assist the All India Trade Union Congress?
Answer:
In order to assist the AITUC the Congress formed a committee consisting of some prominent Congress leaders.

Question 28.
How did the Socialist influence in Indian politics strengthen the working class movement ?
Answer:
Various Socialist and Communist groups that had emerged in the meantime in different places were engaged in organizing labour movements.

Question 29.
Why was the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party important?
Answer:
The WPP was important because some of its units in different provinces emerged as the political party of the working class.

Question 30.
Would you say that during the Civil Disobedience the working class movement gained a foot-hold in the political thinking of the country?
Answer:
Indeed, it is evident from the fact that the workers all over the country participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Question 31.
What step did the British take to stem the tide of Communist influence on the workers.
Answer:
In order to hold back the growth of Communist influence the British Government put under arrests all the leading Communist and trade union leaders.

Question 32.
Why did the trade union movement register a phenomenal rise between 1937 and 1939?
Answer:
The pro-labour attitude of the Congress ministries (formed in 1937) in the provincial level served as an encouragement to the trade union activities.

Question 33.
What was the impact of the arrests of Gandhìji and other national leaders in 1942 on the working class of the country?
Answer:
As the news of the arrests spread workers of various places of the country went on strikes and hartals that lasted for a week.

Question 34.
Why did the Communists dissociate themselves from the Quit India Movement?
Answer:
The Communists, following the “People’s War” line dissociated themselves from the Quit India Movement.

Question 35.
How did the Socialist ideas initially percolate in India?
Answer:
Socialist ideas in India percolated initially througt the Indian soldiers who returned home from the theatres of the First World War.

Question 36.
Why were Nehru and Subhas deeply inspired by the Socialist ideas even remaining within the Congress?
Answer:
The reason for their Socialist leanings even remaining within the Congress fold was the realization that it was meaningless to have political freedom without achieving economic freedom.

Question 37.
For what did the indian independence League pressurize congress and Gandhiji?
Answer:
The Indian independence League pressurized the congress and gandhiji to start movement for the attainment of Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence).

Question 38.
When was the communist party of india initially set up?
Answer:
The Communist Party of india was first formed in 1925 at tashkent (in erstwhile USSR).

Question 39.
What was the Impact of the Meerut Conspiracy Case on the Indian Communists?
Answer:
The Meerut Conspiracy case of 1929 gave a severe blow to the activities of the Communists of India.

Question 40.
Give an example to show how M.N. Roy turned a humanist from a Marxist.
Answer:
After India achieved her independnce M.N. Roy abolished the Radical Democratic Party, and founded the new Radical Humanist Association.

Class 10 History Chapter 6 Questions and Answers WBBSE – Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)

Question 1.
How did the peasants participate in the Anti-Partition Movement?
Answer:
Peasants’ participation in the Anti-Partition Movement was very much limited. Yet the Congress leadership did call upon the peasants to start no-rent campaign. Peasants’ disturbances that took place in Assam and Bengal perturbed the British rulers,

Question 2.
What was the involvement of the peasants In the Non Co-operation Movement?
Answer:
During the Movement the Indian peasantry also started voicing protests against their various grievances. The first peasants’ movement began at Rae Berili abd Faìzabad in present Uttar Pradesh. The peasants there even stopped paying illegal taxes.

Question 3.
How did the members of the Home Rule League organize the peasants?
Answer:
Members of the Home Rule League initiated the process of organizing the peasantry on modern lines. In United Province the Kisan Sabha was formed first in 1918,

Question 4.
What was the nature of the Eka Movement?
Answer:
In Oudh, in present Uttar Pradesh, the peasants’ movement assumed a significant character. There an armed band of peasants called Ekta or Eka became very active. The peasants took a vow that they would pay only the recorded rent and would not leave when ejected.

Question 5.
How did Baba Ramchandra organize the peasants?
Answer:
In 1920 Baba Ramchandra led a few hundred tenants in Allahabad. He invited the Congress leaders to see for themselves the living condition of the peasants. As a result Jawaharlal Nehru made several visits to the rural areas and developed close contact with the movement.

Question 6.
What was the Chauri Chaura incident that led to the withdrawal of the Non Co-operation Movement by Gandhiji?
Answer:
The Chaun Chaura incident was that in the village of the same name, near Gorakhpur, in Uttar Pradesh an infuriated mob set the nearby police station on fire. As a result a number of constables were burnt to death. The incident forced Gandhiji to withdraw the Non Co-operation

Question 7.
How was the Bardofi Satyagraha an Important chapter in the freedom movement of India?
Answer:
The Bardoli Satyagraha was an important chapter in the history of the freedom movement. It became a symbol of peasants’ protests in the country. The Satyagraha united a variety of the Indian people irrespective of their caste, creed or religion.

Question 8.
How did the Civil Disobedience Movement encourage the peasants’ movement?
Answer:
The Civil Disobedience Movement encouraged the peasants to launch a movement against the British administrators of India. Theirs was a new type of movement. The peasants resorted to ‘no-revenue and no-rent’.

Question 9.
Why did the Leftists form the Peasants’ and Workers’ Party?
Answer:
The Leftists initially did not conceive of an exclusively peasants’ organization. Rather it was bracketed with ‘workers’. Thus the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party came into existence by early 1927, and the Party initially functioned as a left-wing within the Congress.

Question 10.
How was the Indian peasantry mobilized under the Congress provincial ministries formed after the election of 1937 ?
Answer:
The Congress ministries formed in different provinces introduced legislations which gave at least some relief to the peasantry. This was an opportunity for the mobilization of the peasantry. The peasants either came out in open support for the legislation or demanded changes in it.

Question 11.
How did the Communists form their exclusive peasants’ organization?
Answer:
The Communists used the organizational strength of the Congress and the Congress Socialists to augment their influence on the peasantry. This was how the Communist workers laid the foundation of their peasant organization named All India Kisan Sabha in 1936.

Question 12.
Did the Congress openly support the workers’ movement during the anti-Partition Movement?
Answer:
The Congress as an organization did not corne out in open to support the workers’ movement during the anti-Partition Agitation. Yet many of the Congress leaders enthusiastically supported the labour strikes and formation of trade unions. Aswinilcumar Banerjee, Premtosh Bose and others were active in large number of strikes.

Question 13.
In what ways did the working class movement in India enter a new phase at the end of the World War I?
Answer:
By the time the First World War ended the industrial labourers had become conscious about the effective weapon of strike in filling their various demands. Further, the working class could not stay away from the mass awakening created by the participation of Gandhiji in the national freedom struggle.

Question 14.
How did the Congress lead the workers during the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Answer:
During the Civil Disobedience Movement the Congress raised the slogan that workers and peasants are the hands and feet of the Congress. Besides, the Great Indian Peninsular (Gil’) Railwaymen’s Union undertook Satyagraha in support of Gandhiji’s breaking of the Sait Law.

Question 15.
How did the workers of the country react to the arrest of Gandhiji during the Quit India Movement?
Answer:
As the news of the arrests of most of the prominent national leaders including Gandhiji spread a tumult of protest was raised. Workers of different places of the country went on strikes and hartals that lasted for a week. In some of the places the strikes continued for a longer period.

Question 16.
What was the reason for the leftist leaning of Nehru and Subhas even remaining within the Congress?
Answer:
The reason was their realization that it was meaningless to have political freedom without achieving economic freedom. Explaining his position as a ‘socialist’ Nehru said that he had become attracted to socialism considering the situation in India. Subhas, another socialist regretted that in a favourable situation in the 30s of the twentieth century congress showed no interest

Question 17.
What was the Meerut Conspiracy Case instituted against the Communists ?
Answer:
In the wake of the anti-Simon agitation the Communists organized large scale strikes of the industrial labour force. The British Government felt that the strikes and the labour agitation were all due to the machination of the Communists. Under such a Situation the British Government arrested all the prominent Communist labour leaders and the Mcerut Conspiracy Case lodged against them.

Question 18.
What was the People’s War line as adopted by the Communist Party during the Quit India Movement?
Answer:
Hitler’s attack on the Soviet Union became a turning point for the Indian Communists. The attack on the Soviet Union was considered as the war against the people and hence the “People’s War” line. Following the line the Communist Party asked its cadres to stay away from the Quit India Movement.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 6 Questions and Answers – Analytical Answer Questions (4 Marks)

Question 1.
How during the twentieth century the peasant movement overcome most of the weaknesses ?
Answer:
Peasants’ movements were not rare in India prior to the twentieth century. But at that time the movements suffered from several weaknesses. As time rolled on it was possible to overcome the weaknesses.

• During the nineteenth century the Indian peasants had displayed enough courage and organizational ability. Yet they lacked unity and failed to grasp the real significance of colonialism.
• In the twentieth century the peasants could overcome most of the weaknesses of the peasant movement.
• With the emergence of political parties the discontent of the peasants was merged with general anti-imperialist movement against the British.

Question 2.
What was the nature of the participation of the peasants in the anti-Partition agitation ?
Answer:
The anti-partition movement assumed an all-India character in which different classes of people participated.

• Despite the popular character of the anti-partition movement it must be admitted that it was largely confined to the urban middle class.
• The peasants’ participation was very much limited. Indeed, the Congress leadership did call upon the peasants to start a no-rent campaign.
• The participation of peasants during the anti-Partition movement was no less significant. The indigo peasants of Champaran in Bthar rose in rebellion.
• Peasants’ disturbances took place in Assam and Mymensingh (in present Bangladesh). The Muslim peasants of Barisal (in present Bangladesh) were led by Aswini Kumar Datta.
• The Left politics did not emerge in India during the anti-Partition movement. As such there was no question of the Leftists’ leadership amongst the peasants.

Question 3.
How did the Congress help the peasantry to participate in the Non Co-operation Movement?
Answer:
At the call of Gandhiji lakhs of people all over the country joined the Non Co-operation Movement. During the movement the Indian peasantry also started voicing their protests against various acts of injustice done to them.

a. The Non Co-operation Movement encouraged the peasantry to align them with it. With the support of the Congress leaders like Madan Mohan
Malviya, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and others the movement of the peasantry became a part of the national struggle for independence.

b. The members of the Home Rule League, who were really the supporters of the Indian National Congress, initiated the process of organizing the peasants on modern lines.

c. U.P. (United Province) was the province where Kisan Sabha was formed first. In fact, with the support of Madan Mohan Malviya Kisan Sabhc came into existence in 1918 by the initiative of Gaurisankar Misra and Indra Narayan Dwivedi. Formed in 1918 the Kisczn Sabha moved from strength to strength as years rolled on. During the Non Co-operation Movement it became difficult to distinguish between a Non Cooperation meeting and a Kisan Sabha gathering.

Question 4.
What was the Eka Movement?
Answer:
During the Non Co-operation days peasant discontent surfaced in the districts of Hardoi, Sitapur and the adjoining areas of present Uttaranchal. The movement grew under the name Ekta or Eka movement, literally meaning unity movement.

• The main grievance of the peasants under the Eka movement was the extraction of rent at a higher rate.
• Oppressions of the rent-collectors or the thikadars, as they were called constituted another cause of the peasants’ grievence.
• The Eka rebels took a vow in the name of religion that they would not pay the increased part of the revenue. They would pay only the recorded rent. They also vowed that they would refuse to do forced labour and shall not leave the land when ejected.
• The Eka movement was led by Passi Madari and Sahreb and other leaders who belonged to the lower caste.
• The Eka rebels accepted the discipline of non-violence as urged upon by the Congress and Khilafat leaders.
• The Eka movement died an untimely death due to the severe oppressios of the colonial British authorities.

Question 5.
Write in short about the Bardoli Satyagraha.
Answer:
Bardoli Satyagraha was a ‘no-tax’ movement of the peasants of Bardoli in Surat district of Gujarat.

• Bardoli fell under the Ryotwari land tenure in which the rate of tax used to be revised in every 30 years. 1926 was the year for the revision of tax. It was found that the hike in tax was unprecedented.
• The peasants of Bardoli under the leadership of Valiabhbhai Patel formally launched the Bardoli Satyagraha on 12 February 1928.
• The peasants of Bardoli during the Satyagraha in a non-violent and disciplined manner intensified the movement.
• Alarmed at the attitude of the peasants the British Government as a face-saving device reduced the rate of tax. Thus the movement was a successful one and came to an end in August 1928.
• Bardoli Satyagraha united a variety of Indian people irrespective of their class, creed and religion. The movement also had the support of all shades of political opinion. It became, indeed, a symbol of peasants’ protest in India.

Question 6.
What was the importance of Bardoli Satyagraha?
Answer:
The Bardoli Satyagraha is an important chapter in the history of the freedom movement in india.

• The movement united variety of the indian people irrespective of their class, creed, caste and religion, and thus was a blow to the British misconception of the ‘disunity’ amongst the indians.
• The movement had the support of all shades of political opinion the ‘moderates, liberals or constitutionalists because of the moderation and discipline the peasants of Bardoli had demonstrated.
• Bardoli satyagraha became the symbol of peasants’ protests in India.
• As pointed out by Prof Mndula Mukherjee in her article Bardoli Peasants’ Struggle 1928 that “Bardoli confirmed the Indian people were indeed on the way to becoming a nation.”

Question 7.
What was the nature of peasants’ participation in the Civil Disobeience Movement?
Answer:
Formation of the Congress Ministries in the majority of provinces after the election of 1937 marked the beginning of a new kind of peasant movement.

• Immediately before the Movement began the different Congress ministries had introduced legislations which aimed at giving some relief to the peasantry.
• This was an opportunity for the mobilization of the peasantry. The peasants either came out in open support for the legislation or demanded changes in it.
• An important aspect of the Quit India Movement was that even when the movement had spread from cities to the villages and countryside it did not assume the character of anti-landlordism. Professor Gyanendra Pandey pointed out that this was in marked contrast to the pattern of earlier events.
• The point may be explained by an example. For instance, unlike the mass agitation launched by the Congress in 1920 and 1930 the peasantry were in no mood to undertake no-rent or no-revenue movement.

Question 8.
Write in short how the Left organized the peasant movement during the Quit India Movement.
Answer:
Immediately before the Quit India call by Gandhiji the Communists used the organizational strength of the Kisan Sabhas of the Congress and the Congress Socialists to augment their influence among the peasantry. This was how the communist workers laid the foundation of their own organization, namely, the All India Kisan Sabha.

• The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) set up in 1936 was the first peasant organization of the Commmunists on an all-India basis.
• With the model of the Russian Revolution before them the Indian Communists showed greater interest in trade unions rather than the peasant movement.
• Indeed, a few Congress leaders were associated with the AIKS. Yet the Congress leadership refused to give its blessings to the Sabha, and it declared at the Haripura session of 1938 that the “Congress itself is in the main a kisan organization.”
• Organizationally, the AIKS was based on provincial Kisan Sabhas, and in some provinces, notably in Bihar, Bengal, UP and Madras the Communists were successful in organizing peasant unrest.
• The Communists had always wanted to work in active co-operation with the local Congress Committee. In an article published in the National Front P.C. Joshi defended a united front with the Congress so that every kisan struggle could be transformed into a people’s struggle.

Question 9.
How did the Congress help the working class movement during the Swadeshi upsurge ?
Answer:
Compared to the European countries the working class emerged rather late in India. Again, it was not before the World War I that the working class in India was organized on modern lines.

a. Swadeshi and Boycott, the two weapons of the anti-partition movement were together a landmark in the history of labour movement. Contemporary official survey has described the ‘industrial unrest’ during the period as a marked feature.

b. As regards the relations between the Congress and the labour it may be said that it was by and large indifferent to the question of labour during the early twentieth century when the anti-Partition agitation was going on in fulll swing. Although the Benaras Session of the Congress (1905) made an emphatic protest against the Partition of Bengal.

c. Though Congress as an organization did not come out in open to support the labour movement, many of the Congress leaders enthusiastically supported labour strikes and formation of trade unions.

It has been pointed out by Professor Sunil Kumar Sen that suddenly there was a slump in the nationalist interest in the labour movements after 1908. In some sporadic strikes that occurred in 1908-09 not many nationalist leaders were involved. Moreover, when the nationalist leaders were in jail the workers could not be mobilized in protest strikes.

Question 10.
What was the attitude of the Leftists towards the labour movement ?
Answer:
The anti-partition movement saw the faint beginnings of a socialist leaning among some of the nationalist leaders.

• In fact, they were imbued with the Marxist ideas that had been developing in Europe.
• Some extremist leaders openly urged for following the ‘Russian method’ of political general strike in India.
• The 14 September 1907 edition of Nabasakti openly advocated following the example of the working class movement in Russia when it said : The workers of Russia today are teaching the world the methods of effective protest in times of repression ______ will not Indian workers learn
  from them ?
• But all this remained a mere lip service as there was no real political strike in the labour intensive establishments (plantations, mines, etc), and it remained limited only to clerks and some Bengali jute mill workers.

Question 11.
What was the role of the Congress in organizing the working class during the Non Co-operation Movement ?
Answer:
The nationalist interest in organizing the labourers remained lukewarm till the inauguration of the Non Co-operation Movement, 1919¬1920. There was a resurgence of working class activities between 1919 and 1922.

• Formation of the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), in 1920, was welcomed by the Congress. Not only that, to assist the AITUC the Congress formed a committee consisting of some prominent Congress leaders at the Gaya session of the Indian National Congress held in 1922.
• C .R. Das, the President of the Gaya Congress, in his Presidential
  address said that the Congress must ‘take labour and the peasantry in hand and organize them both ’
• Towards the closing days of Non Co-operation the two Congress leaders led a powerful strike in the East Indian Railway. The strike lasted for a few months (February to April).
• The Congress leaders, Darsanananda and Viswananda, thought of pressurizing the British through the powerful strike.
• After 1922 there was again a slump in the working class movement under the leadership of the nationalist leaders and the Congress. The next wave of working class movement was spurred by the Leftists.

Question 12.
How did the Leftists strengthen the working class movement during the Non Co-operation days ?
Answer:
Socialist influence in Indian politics between 1921 and 1924 definitely strengthened the working class movement.

• Various socialist and communist groups that had emerged in different places were also engaged in organizing labour movements.
• Despite British Government’s action restraining the activities of the communists the Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (WPP) was formed in 1927. The initiative was taken by the communist leaders like S.A. Dange, Muzaffar Ahmed, P.C. Joshi and Sohan Singh Josh.
• Though short-lived the WPP rapidly spread its organisation in the provincial and national levels.
• Another aspect of the WPP was that it functioned as a left-wing within the Congress. The WPP devoted itself, among other things, to the growth of class consciousness amongst the working class.
• The objective of the WPP was to strive for a broad anti-imperialist front for the achievement of complete independence with the ultimate aim of establishment of socialism in the independent country.
• Though the WPP was short-lived, its units in some of the provinces emerged as the political party of the working class.

Question 13.
How did Congress advance the cause of the working class during the Civil Disobedience Movement ?
Answer:
During the Civil Disobedience Movement the labour movement gained a foot-hold in the political thinking of the country. This is evident from the fact that the workers all over the country participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

• During the Civil Disobedience under the leadership of Gandhiji a Communist Party document (1930) admitted that virtually Congress was the only organization which was carrying on the fight against the British imperialism and therefore the workers began to follow the lead of the Congress.
• Indeed, during the Civil Disobedience the Congress (in Bombay) raised the slogan that “workers and peasants are the hands and feet of the Congress”.
• The GIP Railwaymen’s Union undertook Satyagraha in support of Gandhiji’s breach of the salt law.
• Gandhiji’s arrest on 4 May (1930) intensified the labour unrest. The news of his arrest led to a textile strike at Sholapur in Maharashtra.
• Congress volunteers practically set up something like a parallel government at Sholapur. In some other centres working class movements took various forms during the Civil Disobedience.
• After the arrests of national leaders the dock-labourers in Karachi, Choolai Mill workers in Madras, Budge Budge mill workers of West Bengal, etc. were very much active and even clashed with police.

Question 14.
How did the Leftists participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement ?
Answer:
Communist influence in the trade union movement became strong in 1928, after a period of slump.

• In Bombay, the communist-led Gimi Kamgar Union (GKU) organized a massive six-month long strike of the textile workers.
• Communist influence spread rapidly in Bombay and Bengal to the workers in the railways, paper mills, jute mills, etc.
• In Madras, the communist influence was strong in the Burma Oil Company.
• The British Government in India became alarmed at the growing unrest among the workers. It also became thoroughly convinced that the intensive labour movement was all due to the infiltration of socialist and communist ideas propagated to the workers by the Communist Party of India (CPI).
• In their efforts to hold back the growth of communist influence, the British Government put under arrests all the leading communist and trade union leaders.
• Subsequently, the labour movement in India weakened due to the split in the AITUC as also due to other factors. Nevertheless, workers participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement all over the country.
• The textile workers in Sholapur in Maharashtra went on rampage after the British police resorted to firing in order to stop an anti-British procession.
• During the movement the mill workers of Calcutta, dock labours of Karachi and the mill workers of Madras heroically clashed with the police. The British Government ruthlessly suppressed the insurgents. Many of the workers were sentenced to long-term imprisonment and several others were sentenced to death.

Question 15.
How did the Congress help the working class movement during the Quit India Movement ?
Answer:
The formation of Congress ministries in different provinces following election in 1937 gave a boost to the working class movement.

• During the tenure of the Congress ministries between 1937 and 1939 there was a phenomenal rise in the trade union movement. The number of trade unions increased from 271 to 562.
• It must be pointed out here that the pro-labour attitude of the Congress governments in the provincial level also served as an encouragement to the trade union activities.
• Even the Congress Working Committee in a resolution adopted expressed solidarity with the Bengal jute workers (1937). The resolution denounced the repressive measures taken on the workers by the non¬Congress provincial ministries of Bengal and Punjab.
• Another significant feature was that during the period under reference strikes organized by the trade unions mostly ended successfully, with victory of the struggling workers.
• With the opening of the Quit India Movement most of the prominent national leaders including Gandhiji were arrested. As the news of the arrests spread workers of various places of the country went on strikes and hartals that lasted for a week.
• Delhi, Lucknow, Jamshedpur, Madras, Bangalore, etc. were some of the main centres of the strikes. The Tata Steel Plant was shut down for thirteen days. In Ahmedabad the textile workers continued the strike for three and half months.

Question 16.
What was the impact of the Leftist ideal on the Congress movement ?
Answer:
During the 20s of the twentieth century the central figures in the resurgent national movement of the time were Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose. Both of them were deeply influenced by the Socialist ideas.

a. Apart from the Congressite leftists’ like Nehru and Bose there were many other Congress workers who were wedded to the leftist ideal. For example, Jayprakash Narayan, Achhut Patwabardhan, Minoo Masani, Narendra Deb and others had faith in socialism, yet not all of them were communists or Marxists.

b. However, in 1932, as detainees at the Nasik Central Jail, they all decided to draw up a socialist programme remaining within the Congress fold.

c. After their release this socialist group met at a meeting in Patna under the chairmanship of Acharya Narendra Dev.

d. In October 1934 a larger conference was organized from which was born the All India Congress Socialist Party.

e. The objectives as adopted in the meeting were :

• All powers to the people who are associated with production,
• Socialization of industries and all other productive organizations,
• State control over foreign trade.
• Abrogation of the zamindary and the raja-maharaja system.
• Distribution of land to the peasants,
• State to recognize the right to work
• Wage to be paid according to one’s need.

Question 17.
How was the Communist Party of India founded ?
Answer:
It may certainly be taken for granted that the Communist Party of India was first set up at Tashkent (in erstwhile Soviet Union) in October (or November) 1920.

a. Meanwhile various communist groups emerged in different parts of the country such as : in Bengal under the leadership of Muzaffar Ahmed; in Bombay under S.A. Dange and others. Similar groups also came into existence in Lahore (Punjab), Madras and many other places.

b. Attempts to coordinate the activities of the different groups under a central organization, however, did not succeed before 1925.

c. In 1924 efforts to organize a Communist Party received a setback when all the leading communist leaders were apprehended by the British police and brought them to trial under the ‘Kanpur Conspiracy Case’.

d. However, the very next year (1925) a conference was held at Kanpur in which different communist groups participated. It was from this conference that the Communist Party of India (CPI) was born. M.G. Ghate was later appointed its General Secretary.

Question 18.
What was the nature of participation of the Communist Party in the Indian national movement ?
Answer:
From the very beginning the Communist Party’s main form of political work was to organize peasants and workers and to work through them.

a. During the 20s of the twentieth century the communist organizers set up unions and organized strikes in India’s textile, jute and cotton mills, and in the railway workshops. But the greatest success was the strike for over six months by the Communist-led Gimi Kamgar Union in 1928. Such successes, however, were short-lived.

b. The Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929) gave a severe blow to the activities of the communists. But the communists inflicted a deadly blow on themselves by breaking their connection with the Congress.

c. The communist movement, however, was saved as many of the communists refused to stand apart from the Civil Disobedience Movement and actively participated in it.

d. There was a radical change in the situation in 1935 when the communists once again participated in the activities of the Congress.

e. The communists did not participate in the Quit India Movement. It has been pointed out by Professor Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri that the Indian communists made mistake as regards national policy of the country. In reconciling the events at home with the international communist movement they were accustomed to look to the (erstwhile) Soviet Union rather than the potentialities of the Indian national movement.

Question 19.
What was the contributions of M.N. Roy in the Left Movement ?
Answer:
Narendranath Bhattachaiya is better known in history as M.N. Roy, being the short name for Manabendranath Roy.

• He was the founder of the Mexican Communist Party as also the Communist Party of India at Tashkent.
• After travelling widely M.N. Roy arrived in San Francisco in 1916. In America an emissary of Lenin contacted Roy. Lenin invited Roy to participate in the Second World Congress of the Communist International.
• Sometime later Roy was put in charge of Asian Bureau of Communist International with its headquarters at Tashkent. It was here in Tashkent that the Communist Party of India was formed on 17 October 1920 under Roy’s initiative.
• Roy came back to India in 1930 under the pseudonym “Dr. Mahmud’. But in 1931 he was apprehended and tried in Kanpur jail on the charge of sedition.
• After his release in November 1936 M.N. Roy joined the Indian National Congress and simultaneously he organized the League of Radical Congressman. But within a short time he resigned from the Congress due to difference of opinion with the Congress High Command.
• Later he set up a new party named Radical Democratic Party. Unlike the Communist Party of India Roy and his followers supported the war efforts because they considered declining imperialism as a lesser evil to Fascism, and to Roy Fascism was a menace to mankind.

Class 10 History Chapter 6 Questions and Answers West Bengal Board – Explanatory Answer Questions (8 Marks)

Question 1.
How did the Congress motivate the peasants and workers to participate In the anti-Partition Movement?
Answer:
The anti-partition movement assumed an all-India character in which different classes of people participated. The peasants and workers participated in the movement though in a limited scale.

1. Peasants:

• Despite the popular character of the anti-partition movement it must be admitted that it was largely confined to the urban middle class.
• The peasants’ participation was very much limited. Indeed, the Congress leadership did call upon the peasants to start a no-rent campaign.
• The participation of peasants during the anti-Partition movement was no less significant. The indigo peasants of Champaran in Bihar rose in rebellion.
• Peasants’ disturbances took place in Assam and Mymensingh (in present Bangladesh). The Muslim peasants of Barisal (in present Bangladesh) were led by Aswini Kumar Datta.

2. Working Class:

Compared to the European countries the working class emerged rather late in India. Again, it was not before the World War I that the working class in India was organized on modern lines.

a. Swadeshi and Boycott, the two weapons of the anti-partition movement were together a landmark in the history of labour movement. Contemporary official survey has described the ‘industrial unrest’ during the period as a marked feature.

b. As regards the relations between the Congress and the labour it may be said that it was by and large indifferent to the question of labour during the early twentieth century when the anti-Partition agitation was going on in fuill swing. Although the Benaras Session of the (1905) made an emphatic protest against the Partition of Bengal.

c. Though Congress as an organization did not come out in open to support the labour movement, many of the Congress leaders enthusiastically supported labour strikes and formation of trade unions.

d. It has been pointed out by Professor Sunil Kumar Sen that suddenly there was a slump in the nationalist interest in the labour movements after 1908. In some sporadic strikes that occurred in 1908-09 not many nationalist leaders were involved. Moreover, when the nationalist leaders were in jail the workers could not be mobilized in protest strikes the Eka movement was led by Passi Madari and Sahreb and other leaders who belonged to the lower caste.

e. The Eka rebels accepted the discipline of non-violence as urged upon by the Congress and Khilafat leaders.

2. Bardoli Satyagraha : Bardoli Satyagraha was a ‘no-tax’ movement of the peasants of Bardoli in Surat district of Gujarat.

• Bardoli fell under the Ryotwari land tenure in which the rate of tax used to be revised in every 30 years. 1926 was the year for the revision of tax. It was found that the hike in tax was unprecedented.
• The peasants of Bardoli under the leadership of Vallabhbhai Patel formally launched the Bardoli Satyagraha on 12 February 1928.
• The peasants of Bardoli during the Satyagraha in a non-violent and disciplined manner intensified the movement.
• Alarmed at the attitude of the peasants the British Government as a face-saving device reduced the rate of tax. Thus the movement was a successful one and came to an end in August 1928.
• Bardoli Satyagraha united a variety of Indian people irrespective of their class, creed and religion. The movement also had the support of all shades of political opinion. It became, indeed, a symbol of peasants’ protest in India.

Question 2.
What was the relations between the Congress and the peasantry during the Non Co-operation and the Civil Disobedience Movements
Answer:
During the periods of Non Co-operation and the Civil Disobedience the discontent of the Indian peasantry was marked by a new feature. The peasants were deeply influenced by the ongoing struggle for national freedom.

1. Non Co-operation Movement : At the call of Gandhiji lakhs of people all over the country joined the movement. During the movement the Indian peasantry also started voicing their protests against various acts of injustice done to them.

a. Meanwhile the Non Co-operation Movement encouraged the peasantry to align them with it. With the support of the Congress leaders like Madan Mohan Malviya, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and others the movement of the peasantry became a part of the national struggle for independence.

b. The members of the Home Rule League, who were really the supporters of the Indian National Congress, initiated the process of organizing the peasants on modem lines.

c. U.P. (United Province) was the province where Kisan Sabha was formed first. In fact, with the support of Madan Mohan Malviya Kisan Sabha came into existence in 1918 by the initiative of Gaurisankar Misra and Indra Narayan Dwivedi. Formed in 1918 the Kisan Sabha moved from strength to strength as years rolled on.

d. During the Non Co-operation Movement it became difficult to distinguish between a Non Co-operation meeting and a Kisan Sabha gathering.

2. Civil Disobedience Movement: Though Gandhiji was unhappy over the peasants’ plight and protested against the zamindars’ oppressions on them, the Congress as an organization, till 1929 at least, was not tactically prepared to take the side of the peasants and thereby come into open conflict with the zamindars. However, the Indian peasantry during the 1930s really built up organization relying upon own strength.

a. The Great Depression of 1929 adversely affected the Indian peasantry. Increase in the revenue demand also pressed them very hard. Bardoli Satyagraha created a new enthusiasm amongst the peasantry. All this gave a new impetus to the Indian peasants.

b. Economically ruined peasants of Bihar were organized into Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha (BPKS) under the initiative of Sahajanand Saraswati in 1929. In course of time Kisan Sabhas were established in other parts of the country as well.

c. The Civil Disobedience Movement by Congress, under the leadership of Gandhiji, served as an encouragement to peasants’ movement. During the Civil Disobedience years the peasants of U.P. (United Province at that time, later on Uttar Pradesh) began a new type of movement. It was a ‘no-revenue and no-rent’ campaign. It was a double edged weapon against the British.

d. The U.P. Congress passed a resolution to the effect that the national programme should include reduction of land tax. In fact, the peasants were experiencing a financial crisis as the international price of agricultural commodities had fallen. Moreover, with the decline in sale the profit was also reduced. In such a situation the All India Congress Working Committee accepted most of the resolutions passed by the U.P. Congress Committee, which satisfied both the peasants and the zamindars.

e. The second phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement lasted in U.P. until mid-1932. This time the people of the countryside were drawn into the Congress agitation. According to one estimate more than 10,000 Congress volunteers and agitators were convicted in U.P. alone.

f. Above was how the Congress advanced the cause of the Indian peasantry during the course of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Question 3.
What was the impact of the Great Depression of 1929 on Indian peasantry ? How did Congress support the peasantry during the Civil Disobedience Movement ?
Answer:
1. Impact of the Great Depression : The Great Depression of 1929 that occurred in the USA impacted the peasants and workers of India. The Great Depresion dealt a severe blow to the impoverished peasantry of India. The British Government instead of scaling down the burden of revenue increased it further causing distress to the peasants. The peasants were further burdened as there was a hike in the prices of manufactured goods. In such a situation while the peasants were forced to pay higher revenue their income fell considerably as an impact of the Great Depression.

2. Civil Disobedience Movement : Though Gandhiji was unhappy over the peasants’ plight and protested against the zamindars’ oppressions on them, the Congress as an organization, till 1929 at least, was not tactically prepared to take the side of the peasants and thereby come into open conflict with the zamindars. However, the Indian peasantry during the 1930s really built up organization relying upon own strength.

a. The Great Depression of 1929 adversely affected the Indian peasantry. Increase in the revenue demand also pressed them very hard. Bardoli Satyagraha created a new enthusiasm amongst the peasantry. All this gave a new impetus to the Indian peasants.

b. Economically ruined peasants of Bihar were organized into Bihar Provincial Kisan Sabha (BPKS) under the initiative of Sahajanand Saraswati in 1929. In course of time Kisan Sabhas were established in other parts of the country as well.

c. The Civil Disobedience Movement by Congress, under the leadership of Gandhiji, served as an encouragement to peasants’ movement. During the Civil Disobedience years the peasants of U.P. (United Province at that time, later on Uttar Pradesh) began a new type of movement. It was a ‘no revenue and no-rent’ campaign. It was a double edged weapon against the British.

d. The U.P. Congress passed a resolution to the effect that the national programme should include reduction of land tax. In fact, the peasants were experiencing a financial crisis as the international price of agricultural commodities had fallen. Moreover, with the decline in sale the profit was also reduced. In such a situation the All India Congress Working Committee accepted most of the resolutions passed by the U.P. Congress Committee, which satisfied both the peasants and the zamindars.

e. The second phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement lasted in U.P. until mid-1932. This time the people of the countryside were drawn into the Congress agitation. According to one estimate more than 10,000 Congress volunteers and agitators were convicted in U.P. alone. Above was how the Congress advanced the cause of the Indian peasantry during the course of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Question 4.
What was the relation between the Congress and the peasants as also the working class during the Quit India Movement ?
Answer:
1. The Peasants : Immediately before the Quit India Movement began the different provincial Congress ministries had introduced legislations which aimed at giving some relief to the peasantry. This was an opportunity for the mobilization of the peasantry. The peasants either came out in open support for the legislation or demanded changes in it.

An important aspect of the Quit India Movement was that even when the movement had spread from cities to the villages and countryside it did not assume the character of anti-landlordism. Professor Gyanendra Pandey pointed out that this was in marked contrast to the pattern of earlier events. For instance, unlike the mass agitation launched by the Congress in 1920 and 1930 the peasantry were in no mood to undertake no-rent or no-revenue movement (The Indian Nation in 1942 : p4).

2. The Working Class : The formation of Congress ministries in different provinces following election in 1937 gave a boost to the working class movement.

a. In fact, during the tenure of the Congress ministries between 1937 and 1939 there was a phenomenal rise in the trade union movement.

b. During this period the number of trade unions increased from 271 to 562.

c. It must be pointed out here that the pro-labour attitude of the Congress governments in the provincial level also served as an encouragement to the trade union activities. For instance, the Congress governments ensured civil liberties. That is to say, the people, under such governments, had the right to say, think and do what they wanted (as long as they respected other people’s rights).

d. Even the Congress Working Committee in a resolution adopted expressed solidarity with the Bengal jute workers (1937). The resolution denounced the repressive measures taken on the workers by the non Congress provincial ministries of Bengal and Punjab.

e. Another significant feature was that during the period under reference strikes organized by the trade unions mostly ended successfully, with victory of the struggling workers.

f. The Quit India Movement formally began on 9 August with arrests of most of the prominent national leaders including Gandhiji. As the news of the arrests spread workers of various places of the country went on strikes and hartals that lasted for a week. Delhi, Lucknow, Jamshedpur, Madras, Bangalore, etc. were some of the main centres of the strikes. In some places the strikes continued for longer periods. The Tata Steel Plant was shut down for thirteen days. In Ahmedabad the textile workers continued the strike for three and half months.

Question 5.
What was the nature of participation of the Communist Party in the National Movement ? What was the contributions of M.N.Roy ?
Answer:
1. Nature of Participation of the Communist Party : From the very beginning the Communist Party’s main form of political work was to organize peasants and workers and to work through them.

a. During the 20s of the twentieth century the communist organizers set up unions and organized strikes in India’s textile, jute and cotton mills, and in the railway workshops. But the greatest success was the strike for over six months by the Communist-led Girni Kamgar Union in 1928. Such successes, however, were short-lived.

b. The Meerut Conspiracy Case (1929) gave a severe blow to the activities of the communists. But the communists inflicted a deadly blow on themselves by breaking their connection with the Congress. The communist movement, however, was saved as many of the communists refused to stand apart from the Civil Disobedience Movement and actively participated in it.

c. There was a radical change in the situation in 1935 when the communists once again participated in the activities of the Congress.

d. The communists did not participate in the Quit India Movement. It has been pointed out by Professor Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri that the Indian communists made mistake as regards national policy of the country. In reconciling the events at home with the international communist movement they were accustomed to look to the (erstwhile) Soviet Union rather than the potentialities of the Indian national movement.

e. However, after Hitler had invaded the Soviet Union in 1941 the Indian communists following the Peoples’ War line suspended all sorts of anti-imperialist activities lest that would weaken the anti-Fascist war efforts. In the thesis the question of India’s independence was subordinated to the victory of the Soviet Union in the World War II.

f. But this was an unreal expectation because the people of India wanted first to become independent with or without the victory of the Soviet Union. This line certainly isolated and discredited the Communist Party of India and the communists were isolated from the peasants and workers.

2. M.N. Roy’s Contributions : Narendranath Bhattacharya is better known in history as M.N. Roy, being the short name for Manabendranath Roy.

a. He was the founder of the Mexican Communist Party as also the Communist Party of India at Tashkent.

b. After travelling widely M.N. Roy arrived in San Francisco in 1916. In America an emissary of Lenin contacted Roy. Lenin invited Roy to participate in the Second World Congress of the Communist International.

c. Sometime later Roy was put in charge of Asian Bureau of Communist International with its headquarters at Tashkent. It was here in Tashkent that the Communist Party of India was formed on 17 October 1920 under Roy’s initiative.

d. Roy came back to India in 1930 under the pseudonym ‘Dr. Mahmud’. But in 1931 he was apprehended and tried in Kanpur jail on the charge of sedition.

e. After his release in November 1936 M.N. Roy joined the Indian National Congress and simultaneously he organized the League of Radical Congressman. But within a short time he resigned from the Congress due to difference of opinion with the Congress High Command.

d. Later he set up a new party named Radical Democratic Party. Unlike the Communist Party of India, Roy and his followers supported the war efforts because they considered declining imperialism as a lesser evil to Fascism, and to Roy Fascism was a menace to mankind.

 

Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 10 History Book Solutions Chapter 5 Alternative Ideas and Initiatives (From mid-19th Century to the early 20th Century): Characteristics and Observations offer valuable context and analysis.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 5 Question Answer – Alternative Ideas and Initiatives (From mid-19th Century to the early 20th Century): Characteristics and Observations

Class 10 History Chapter 5 Question Answer WBBSE – Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark)

Question 1.
What Hicky had to affirm to the British Government before he was allowed to print and publish newspaper in Bengal ?
Answer:
In a pledge Hicky had to affirm that no story personal or domestic that can convey the smallest offence to any individual shall ever be inserted in the newspaper.

Question 2.
Why was Hicky’s newspaper closed by the Company’s government in 1782 ?
Answer:
Hicky’s paper was closed because in his paper he exposed many scandals disobeying the government rules.

Question 3.
Why is Hicky deserve credit as an editor of the newspaper ?
Answer:
Hicky deserves credit as an editor of the newspaper because he had not surrendered to the will of the rulers of the time.

Question 4.
Name one of the many newspapers that came to be published in the last two decades of the eighteenth century.
Answer:
In the last two decades of the eighteenth century many newspapers came to be published of which mention may be made of ‘The Calcutta Gazette’.

Question 5.
Why did Lord Wellesley think of imposing strict supervision on the press ?
Answer:
Being annoyed by the exposure and criticisms of many governmental actions in the newspapers lord Wellesley thought of imposing strict supervision on the press.

Question 6.
Which is admitted to be the first weekly newspaper published in Bengali language ?
Answer:
It has been admitted on all hands that the Bengal Gazette was the first weekly newspaper published in Bengali language.

Question 7.
What was the excellent job done by the Serampore missionaries in respect of educational and socio-cultural progress ?
Answer:
The Serampore missionaries by publishing journals and books in both English and Bengali languages did an excellent job in respect of educational and socio-cultural field.

Question 8.
What was the main feature of the repressive Act of 1857 in the matter of indian press ?
Answer:
The main feature of the repressive Act of 1857 was that it made no distinction between publications in Indian vernacular languages and English.

Question 9.
When did the Indian press get a new lease of life ?
Answer:
With the passing of the East India Company’s rule to the British Crown the Indian press got a new lease of life.

Question 10.
How did the Vernacular Press Act impact the vernacular press ?
Answer:
The Vernacular Press Act deprived the newspapers published in the vernacular languages of their right to criticize government.

Question 11.
How did the Baptist Mission and its Press help assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures in the country ?
Answer:
The Baptist Mission and its Press by printing books written in vernacular languages as also by publishing translations of works from English to Bengali facilitated assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures in the country.

Question 12.
How did printing press help the spread of education ?
Answer:
The printing press by publishing good number of books in a very short time helped the spread of education in the country. In Bengal who first conceived the idea of printing as a means of acquiring wealth.

Question 13.
What was the contribution of Upendrakishore Roy in the art of block-making ?
Answer:
The greatest contribution of Upendrakishore Roy was that he for the first time introduced the art of block-making not only in India but in the whole region of South Asia.

Question 14.
How did Upendrakishore Roy endeavour to introduce modern technique in the art of block-making ?
Answer:
In his endeavour to introduce modern technique in the art of block-making Upendrakishore imported books, chemicals and other equipments necessary for block-making from Britain.

Question 15.
How did Upendrakishore Roy excel in the art of printing ?
Answer:
Besides setting up modem printing press Upendrakishore Roy published articles from Britain that give proof of his in-depth knowledge about printing technology.

Question 16.
How did Mahendralal Sircar help the promotion of research and instructions in science ?
Answer:
Encouraged by Father Eugene Lafont Dr Mahendralal Sircar mooted the idea of promoting research and instructions in science, and the idea took a concrete shape in the foundation of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science.

Question 17.
With what objective was the National Council of Education founded ?
Answer:
The objective in setting up the National Council of Education was to challenge the British control over education.

Question 18.
Why was a split erupted in the National Council ?
Answer:
A split in the National Council became inevitable as there developed two different opinions regarding the method of instruction.

Question 19.
What was the objective of the Society for the Promotion of Technical Education set up in Bengal ?
Answer:
The objective of the Society for the Promotion of Technical Education (SPTE) was to spread technical education among the masses in West Bengal.

Question 20.
What were Rabindranath’s points in his critique of colonial education ?
Answer:
The points raised by Rabindranath in his critique of colonial education were that in the primary and secondary level education emphasis was on imparting education through the medium of English that evoked no impression in the minds of the learners.

Question 21.
What was Rabindranath’s idea of education?
Answer:
Rabindranath’s approach to education was humanistic as he believed in an inner harmony amongst man, nature and god.

Question 22.
What Rabindranath had to say about creative learning ?
Answer:
In a natural environment living in harmony with nature children would be able to cultivate their natural creativity.

Question 23.
What model of school Rabindranath had before him in establishing school at Santiniketan ?
Answer:
In establishing school at Santiniketan, Rabindranath had before him the model of the ancient forest schools of the Vedic period in india.

Question 24.
What did Rabindranath say about the aim of the Visva-Bharati founded at Santiniketan ?
Answer:
Explaining the aim and function of the Visva-Bharati Rabindranath said that he had formed a nucleus of an international university for promoting mutual understanding between East and the West.

Class 10 History Chapter 5 Questions and Answers WBBSE – Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)

Question 1.
How could Hicky start printing a newspaper in Bengal?
Answer:
Hicky sent a proposal to the British Government in London for printing a English newspaper in Bengal. The British Government accepted the proposal. Simultaneously, in a pledge to the British Govt. Hicky had to affirm that no story that can convey the smallest offence to any individual shall ever be published in the newspaper.

Question 2.
Why was Hicky’s newspaper subjected to prosecution by the British Government?
Answer:
Hicky’s newspaper was published in Bengal at a time when the state of society was of a very low order. Hicky exposed many scandals of the time in his newspaper. This enraged the British and several prosecutions were instituted against Hicky.

Question 3.
Why is Hicky regarded as the pioneer of the Indian press?
Answer:
The British Government practically ruined Hicky and his paper was closed in 1872. Yet as an editor of the Hicky’s Bengal Gazette Hicky deserves credit as he had not surrendered to the will of the rulers of the time. Thus an apostle of the free press Hicky is the pioneer of Indian press.

Question 4.
Resolving the controversy which is finally regarded as the first weekly newspaper published in Bengali language?
Answer:
A controversy erupted as to which was the first Bengali news weekly published in india. One opinion is that the Bangal Gazeti of Gangakishore Bhattacharya is the first Bengali news weekly while others believe that the Samachar Dapart published under the editorship of J.C. Marshman is the first Bengali newsweekly. It is now admitted on all hands that Bangal Qazeti is the first weekly newspaper published in Bengali language.

Question 5.
How did the regulation adopted by John Adams’ government make a clear distinction between the Anglo-Indian and Indian press?
Answer:
The regulation adopted by John Adams’ government reimposed control of the press. In doing so while no restriction was imposed on the Anglo-Indian press the Indian press was subjected to various restrictions. This was how a discriminatory regulation was adopted by the colonial government of India.

Question 6.
Which was the first daily newspaper in Bengali language?
Answer:
The Sambad Prabhakar is the first vernacular daily run by the Indians. The newspaper was edited by Iswarchandra Gupta.

Question 7.
How did printed books become a medium for dissemination of knowledge ?
Answer:
Indeed, printed books became a medium for the dissemination of knowledge. For instance, in the Fort William College young civilians were taught various languages for which text books were supplied by the Serampore Press.

Question 8.
How did the Baptist Mission facilitate assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures ?
Answer:
The Baptist Mission and its Press printed and published text books and other works in vernacular language as also in English. Books translated from English to Bengali were also included in the list of publications. All this facilitated assimilation of Eastern and Western cultures in India.

Question 9.
How did the printing press help the spread of education?
Answer:
The educated middle class of the towns needed the help of study materials. Printing press fulfilled their demand. While the copyists, after hard toil, could at best produce two books in a year, in the printing press volumes of books could be produced within a very short time.

Question 10.
How did a Bengali individual use printing as a commercial venture?
Answer:
Gangakishore Bhattacharya was an employee (compositor, who composed matter using types) of the Sreerampore Mission Press. He was the first who conceived the idea of printing in the current language as a means of acquiring wealth. That is to say, he used the printing machine as a commercial venture.

Question 11.
Would you say that Upendrakishor had an extraordinary depth of knowledge in printing technology?
Answer:
Upendrakishor was a man of extra-ordinary talents. His technical articles on block-making were published in the Penrose Annual Volumes published from Britain. The articles give ample proof of the depth of knowledge he had acquired in printing technology.

Question 12.
How did the first non-official scientific institution come to be established in Calcutta ?
Answer:
Contemporary educated Bengali middle class desired to be at the forefront of scientific knowledge and discoveries. It was to this end that the first non-official scientific research institution came into being. This was the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science which was established in 1876.

Question 13.
How was the Science College of the University of Calcutta established without any government aid?
Answer:
The Science College under the University of Calcutta was established without any aid from the colonial British Government. In the establishment of the Science College was possible due to the generous donation of about 37 lakhs of rupees made by Sri Rashbehari Ghosh and Sri Taraknath Palit.

Question 14.
How did the national education movement inaugurate in Bengal?
Answer:
The Swadeshi and Boycott movements, opposition to the government Circulais as also the efforts of Satischandra Mukheijee and his Dawn Society initiated the national education movement in Bengal. The movement was given a practical shape through the foundation of the National Council of Education.

Question 15.
How did the national education movement of Bengal spread in other parts of the country?
Answer:
The national education movement of Bengal soon spread to other provinces of the country. The Andhra National Council of Education, Ayodhyanath National High School at Masulipattam and in Allahabad signify the extension of the idea of national education born in Bengal.

Question 16.
What according to Rabindranath should be the aims of education?
Answer:
Rabindranath believed that the purpose of education was not merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge. Rather, according to him, the purpose also was to establish bond of love and friendship between man and man. In a word, Rabindranath’s approach to education was humanistic.

Question 17.
What was the aim of Rabindranath in founding the school at Santiniketan?
Answer:
The Santiniketan school of Rabindranath, called Brahmacharyasram, was founded with the following aims. To ensure that the students were taught the importance of indian heritage and to give it a humanistic outlook. The school was also to provide all round development of the learners.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 5 Questions and Answers – Analytical Answer Questions (4 Marks)

Question 1.
Why did the Company’s government in India ruin Hicky’s newspaper despite the government giving a nod to the proposals of him ?
Answer:
The British Government in London allowed Hicky to print and publish newspaper in Bengal. Yet at a point of time his paper, Hicky’s Bengal Gazette was closed. The reasons are not far to seek.

• The printing press was established in Bengal at a time when state of society in Bengal was of a very low order.
• The British administrators were annoyed as Hicky exposed many scandals of the administration.
• In fact, it has always been the sacred duty of the newspapers to criticize the misdeeds of the government and publish the scandals.
• It goes to the credit of Hicky that despite his being an Englishman he did not hesitate to expose the colonial government in his newspaper.
• Moreover, Hicky deserves special credit as he did not surrender to the will of the colonial government.

Question 2.
Why was censorship imposed on the press by Lord Weflsleve’
Answer:
Since the publication of Hicky’s Bengal Gazette there had always been a swing from liberty to control by the colonial government in India. Starting from Warren Hastings the Governor-Generals were very much sensitive to the criticisms published in the press. It was Lord Wellesley who imposed press censorship for keeping the public in dark about the misdeeds of the government.

• Criticisms and exposures by the independent papers aroused anger and fear of the rulers.
• Lord Wellesley became furious when Mr. Bruce, the editor of Asiatic Minor, published an article in which he had made a comparative study
  of the strength of the Europeans and the native population.
• In imposing press censorship Wellesley practically gave effect to the sentiments of many Governor-Generals before him.
• In 1799 Wellesley put into action a set of rules that shackled the press. It was notified that no newspaper could be published unless it had been inspected by the government censor officers.

Question 3.
How did the British Government gag the print media 1857 and after?
Answer:
Under the East India Company’s government the administrators were very sensitive to the criticisms of the press. As such restrictions were imposed from time to time which prevented the newspapers to publish criticisms of the government. However, after the take-over of the indian government by the British Crown there was a change in the scenario.

• The Revolt of 1857 gave a stunning blow to the indian press in general. Lord Canning’s ‘Gagging Act’ was directed against the newspapers published in indian languages.
• However, with the assumption of the indian government by the British Crown in 1858 the indian press and for that matter the Bengali press got a new lease of life.

Question 4.
How did the printing press help the dissemiting knowledge?
Answer:
With the introduction of printing press it was possible to print and publish books that helped dissemination of knowledge.

• In this respect the elementary Bengali text-book that deserves special mention for learning Bengali language was the Varna Parichay by swarchandra Vidyasagar.
• The Baptism Mission was founded in Serampore in 1800. It started printing books in Bengali and English.
• The Fort William College was an institution that helped the spread of knowledge in various languages. The Serampore Press printed and published books for supply to the College.
• The printing press also helped the middle class who needed study materials for acquisition of knowledge.

Question 5.
Write is short what you know about the initiatives of Upend & shore Roy in respect of printing press ?
Answer:

• Upendrakishore Roychowdhury, popular as ‘Upendrakishore Roy’ was a famous writer, painter, violin-player, technologist and an entrepreneur. As a painter he pioneered the art of engraving in the country. Also he was the first to attempt colour printing.
• After attaining mastery over the technique Upendrakishore successfully introduced modern block-making, including half-tone and colour blocks.
• In 1895 he started a business of block-making. At the same time he went on publishing books though he did not have at that time any printing machine of his own.
• In 1913 Upendrakishore was able to set up a modern printing press. The press was named U.N. Roy & Sons in Calcutta.
• The printing press set up was probably the finest in India but in the whole of South Asia region.
• All that is mentioned above give ample proof how Upendrakishore ventured the commercial use of the printing press.

Question 6.
Narrate the background in which the indian Association for Cullivation of Science came to be established.
Answer:
Nineteenth century was a turning point in the history of the cultivation of scientific knowledge in Bengal. Bengal being the seat of the British government in india various sorts of activities of the British had its beginning in Bengal. In Bengal the British experimented with various technologies that they had imported.

The educated Bengalee middle class also desired that they should also be at the forefront of scientific knowledge and discoveries. It was in this background that the first non-official scientific research institution, the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science came to be established in 1876.

Question 7.
What the contributions of the Indian Association for the ultivatin of Science?
Or
What the importance of the lACS in the progress of research in science and technology?
Answer:
In tune with the thoughts of Dr. Sircar the lACS focused on fundamental research in basic sciences.

• Till the early decades of the twentieth century the TACS was the only institution in India where higher research in physical sciences could be pursued.
• Students from different parts of the country flocked to Calcutta for work in the creative atmosphere of the TACS.
• It goes to the credit of the Association that many distinguished scientists of modem india like L. Srivastava, C. Prosad, Meghnad Saha and a host of eminent scientists of India carried on their research in the Association and thereby enriched the research culture of the institution.
• In the early years of the lACS the list of lecturers included luminaries of the era like Father Lafont, Jagadish Chandra Bose and others.
• Apart from the scholars the great public figures of contemporary Bengal who were closely associated with the lACS included Gurudas Banerjee, Rajendralal Mitra, Surendranath Banerjee, etc.
• The lACS entered a new phase when C.V. Raman joined it. He worked at lACS and it was here that he discovered the Effect, known as the Rarnan Effect, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.
• The TACS offers fellowship to young researchers. Besides it publishes results of the researches in its journal.

Question 8.
In what context was the National Council of Education founded Bengal?
Answer:
Immediately before the Partition of Bengal (1905) Lord Curzon by the University Act of 1904 infringed upon the autonomy of the University of Calcutta. This gave rise to tremendous dissatisfaction in the literary circle of Bengal.

• The nationalists of contemporary Bengal thought of establishing an education system over which only the Indians would have the full control.
• The idea behind was that a people’s education must be in the hands of the people concerned. The idea took a concrete shape in the formation of the National Council of Education.
• The objective in setting up the institution was to challenge the British rule over education. Besides, the institution was to offer education to the masses on ‘national lines and under national control’.

Question 9.
Why did a spilt develop in the National Council?
Answer:
The University Act of 1904 taken by the Indian nationalist as an arbitrary act on the part of the British government to dominate over educational institutions. This led to the setting up of the National Council of Education.

• The objective of the National Council of Education was to challenge the British rule over education. Besides, the institution was to offer education to the masses on ‘national lines and under national control’.
• A split in the National Council became inevitable when there developed two opinions regarding the method of instruction.
• The majority members wanted a three-dimensional instruction,literary-scientific-technical
• The minority group thought that this was too ambitious a project and favoured technical education with a sprinkling of science teaching.

Question 10.
What was Rabindranath’s ideas about the colonial system of education?
Answer:
Rabindranath’s critique of colonial education came to be spelled in articles published in journals like Bhandar and Bangadars had. His points in his critique of colonial education may be put forward in the following:

• In the colonial system primay and secondary level education was designed through the English language. According to the Poet English is so fundamentally different from Bengali that English words and expressions did not evoke any joy in the learning.
• Under the colonial system education was external to the child’s living world. It could not touch the core of his life. The ideas that came to the learners through English language could never get assimilated in their life.
• Rabindranath founded his own school based on his ideas of education at Santiniketan in 1901. Here he followed the model of ancient forest schools of india.

Class 10 History Chapter 5 Questions and Answers West Bengal Board – Explanatory Answer Questions (8 Marks)

Question 1.
How did printing press and newspapers emerge in India ? How did the British try to gag the press ?
Answer:
a. Introduction : It first occurred in the mind of Mr. James Augustus Hicky, who came to Calcutta as a trader, that ‘great benefit might arise from setting on foot a public newspaper in the country (Bengal).

b. Hicky’s Proposal : Accordingly, Hicky sent to England proposals for printing a newspaper in Bengal, to be published every Saturday under the title The Bengal Gazette.

c. British Approval: The British Government in England gave a nod to the proposals of Hicky. Simultaneously, in a pledge to the British Government Hicky affirmed that no story personal or domestic that can convey the smallest offence to any individual shall ever be inserted in the newspaper.

d. First Printing Press and Newspaper : Hicky set up his printing press in 1780, and in the same year brought out the first newspaper of india, (the actual name in which the newspaper was published was Hicky’s Bengal Gazette) in Bengal.

e. British Action against the Press : The printing press came to be established in Bengal at a time when its state of society was of a very low order. The fact is important because several prosecutions were instituted against Hicky as his paper exposed many scandals. He was practically ruined as in 1782 the paper was closed, types were seized.

f. Pioneer of the indian Press : It must, however, be admitted that Hicky is the pioneer of the Indian press. As an editor he deserves credit for he had not surrendered to the will of the rulers of his time.

g. Censorship Imposed on the Press : Since the publication of Hicky’s Bengal Gazette there had always been a swing from liberty to control by the colonial government in India.

• Criticisms and exposures by the independent papers aroused anger and fear of the rulers.
• Lord Wellesley became furious when Mr. Bruce, the editor of Asiatic Minor, published an article in which he had made a comparative study of the strength of the Europeans and the native population.
• In imposing press censorship Wellesley practically gave effect to the sentiments of many Governor-Generals before him.
• In 1799 Wellesley put into action a set of rules that shackled the press. It was notified that no newspaper could be published unless it had been inspected by the government censor officers.

Question 2.
How did printing press and printed text help dissemination of knowledge?
Answer:
a. Introduction : Introduction of printing press helped the increase in the quantity of books. The manuscripts totally dependent on the care of the scribe and copyist, prior to the emergence of printing press, had always been inaccurate. Thus printing press helped dissemination of knowledge with important cultural consequences.

b. Newspapers and Books Published in Indian Languages : During the 20s of the nineteenth century newspapers and books began to be published in indian languages. The missionaries of Srerampore did excellent job on the educational, cultural and social field by publishing both English and Bengali journals and a number of books in Indian languages.

c. Fort William College : In 1800 was founded the Fort William College by Lord Wellesley in Calcutta. The College made important contribution to Bengali language and literature. Without the facility of publication that the College offered it would have been impossible for many of the early Bengali authors to get their works done and published. The College made printing and publishing in the classical and vernacular languages possible in the country in a wide scale.

d. Publication of Elementary Text-books : Printing press did a great job in disseminating elementary education to the learners. The elementary text-book that deserves special mention is that of Varna Parichay by Iswarchandra Vidyasagar. Besides, national literature in the form of novels, essays, etc. also played an important role in the dissemination of knowledge.

e. The Asiatic Society : The Asiatic Society founded by William Jones in 1784 became publishing partner of many actors of socio-religious and cultural reform movements of Bengal. It began publishing in-depth studies in South Asian literature and languages in the late eighteenth century. It also published translation of many important texts originally written in Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian and other languages.

f. Calcutta University Press : The University of Calcutta established in 1857 initiated its publishing department, popularly known as ‘Calcutta University Press’ (CUP) in 1908. The CUP contributed immensely to the dissemination of knowledge by publishing works of contemporary relevance.

g. Visva-Bharati Granthana Vibhaga : Visva-Bharati was founded by Rabindranath at Santiniketan in 1921. In 1923 Visva-Bharati Granthana Vibhaga (Visva-Bharati Publishing Department) was established to publish all literary works of Rabindranath himself and other eminent people. Tagore’s literary works and creative writings, particularly poems, songs, dance-dramas, etc. got immensely popular not only in Bengal but also in other parts of the country and globally.

h. Books published by different institutions : After the introduction of printing in Bengal different institutions started publishing books which went a long way in disseminating knowledge. Apart from the institutions mentioned above there were many publishing houses that published books on different subjects that helped spread of education and thereby disseminated knowledge.

Question 3.
What was Upendrekishor Roy’s contributions in the art of block-making? What was his initiative in the sphere of commercial printing ?
Answer:
a. Introduction : Upendrakishore Roy Choudhury alias Upendrakishore Roy was a famous writer, painter, technician and a composer at the one and the same time. Upendrakishore spearheaded the cultural rejuvenation of Bengal. As a painter Upendrakishore pioneered the art of engraving in the countiy. Also he was the first to attempt colour printing. He began all this at a time when engraving and colour printing had been developing in the Western countries.

b. Contributions in the Art of Block-making : Upendrakishore was the man who first introduced the art of modem block-making no only in India but in the whole region of South Asia. Upendrakishore learnt the process of block making in stages.

• Upendrakishore was a prolific writer. While reproducing some illustrations using woodcut line blocks in his book Chheleder Ramayana Upendrakishore found that these were very poor. This encouraged him to learn modern technology in block-making.
• In his endeavour to learn the modern technique Upendrakishore imported books, chemicals and other equipments necessary in block – making from Britain.
• After attaining mastery over the technique Upendrakishore successfully introduced modern block-making, including half-tone and colour blocks.
• Upendrakishore was a man of extra-ordinary talents. His technical articles about block-making were published in the Penrose Annual Volumes published from Britain. The articles give ample proof of the depth of knowledge he had acquired in printing technology.

c. Initiative in the Sphere of Commercial Printing: In 1895 Upendra- kishore started a business of block-making. Simultaneously, Upendrakishore went on publishing books though he did not personally have any printing machine. He used to get the books printed from other printers.

• In 1913, however, Upendrakishore was able to set up a modem printing press. The press was named U.N. ROY 8s SONS, and was located at Garpar area of North Calcutta (near present Manicktola).
• One opinion suggested that the printing press set up by Upendrakishore was probably the finest press in the contemporary South Asia.

Question 4.
How was the indian Association for the Cultivation of Science founded ? What was its contributions ?
Answer:
a. Foundation of the IACS : The Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science is the oldest scientific research institute of India. Inspired by the new technologies introduced by the British, Dr. Mahendralal Sircar thought of doing something for the scientific progress of the country. He was friendly with Father Eugene Lafont, who was also interested in promoting science in India. Thus encouraged by Father E. Lafont, Dr. Mahendralal Sircar founded the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS) in 1876 in Calcutta.

b. Help from Different Quarters : In his effort to the promotion of research and institutions in science Dr. Sircar received help in every respect from different quarters. The Leading educationists as also the prominent citizens of Calcutta came forward in the venture. Such people not only helped Dr. Sircar with counsel and encouragement but contributed enthusiastically so that an institution could be set up.

c. Setting up of IACS : It was in this manner that India’s first non¬official (non-government) scientific research institution, the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science came into existence. With its foundation began the scientific movement in the country under Indian initiative. Dr. Sircar was the first Secretary, and renowned persons like Keshab Chandra Sen and Iswarchandra Vidyasagar were the members of the Board of Trustees.

d. Contributions of the IACS : In tune with the thoughts of Dr. Sircar the IACS focused on fundamental research in basic sciences.

• Till the early decades of the twentieth century the IACS was the only institution in India where higher research in physical sciences could be pursued.
• Students from different parts of the country flocked to Calcutta for work in the creative atmosphere of the IACS.
• It goes to the credit of the Association that many distinguished scientists of modem India like L. Srivastava, C. Prosad, Meghnad Saha and a host of eminent scientists of India carried on their research in the Association and thereby enriched the research culture of the institution.
• In the early years of the IACS the list of lecturers included luminaries of the era like Father Lafont, Jagadish Chandra Bose and others.
• Apart from the scholars the great public figures of contemporary Bengal who were closely associated with the IACS included Gurudas Banerjee, Rajendralal Mitra, Surendranath Banerjee, etc.
• The IACS entered a new phase when C.V. Raman joined it. He worked at IACS and it was here that he discovered the Effect, known as the Raman Effect, for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930.
• The IACS offers fellowship to young researchers. Besides it publishes results of the researches in its journal.

Question 5.
Write in short about the foundation of Calcutta Science College. What you know about Basu Bigyan Mandir ?
Answer:
a. The Calcutta Science College : In 1914 the University College of Science and Technology was founded. The College subsequently came to be known as ‘Rajabazar Science College’ or simply ‘Science College’. However, the official name of the Science College is Rashbehari Sikska Prangan in the memory of Sri Rashbehari Ghosh.

b. Its Foundation : The Science College was founded by Sri Asutosh Mukherjee who was the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calcutta at that time. While the University of Calcutta was established by the fund made available by the colonial British Government, in the case of Science College no such fund was provided.

As such the Science College was completely unaided institution. In fact, it was the great visionary, Asutosh Mukherjee, using the generous donation from Taraknath Palit and Sri Rashbehari Ghosh that the College could be established. Both of them together made a generous donation of 37 lakhs of repees and a plot of land on which the College came up.

c. Academic Achievement : The first batch of teachers included Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, the Nobel laureate Sir Chandra Sekhar Venkata Raman, popularly known as ‘C. V. Raman’, Sisir Kumar Mitra, etc. The legendary 1915 M.Sc. batch comprised Satyendranath Bose, Meghnad Saha, Jnanchandra Ghosh and others.

d. Basu Bigyan Mandir : Basu Bigyan Mandir also known as the Bose Institute is a research institute. The institute provides facilities for researches in various subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Physiology, Environmental Science and many others. In 1917 the institute was founded by Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose who pioneered the modem scientific research in India.

Also the Bose Institute was the first to introduce the concept of inter-disciplinary research in India. Presently the Institute has three campuses. The main campus, however, is situated at the former residence of Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose, near the Science College, Kolkata.

Question 6.
Write in brief about the National Council of Education. In what context was the Bengal Technical Institute founded ?
Answer:
a. National Council of Education : Immediate before the Partition of Bengal (1905) Lord Curzon by the University Act of 1904 infringed upon the autonomy of the University of Calcutta. This gave rise to tremendous dissatisfaction in the literary circle of Bengal.

• The nationalists of contemporary Bengal thought of establishing an education system over which only the Indians would have the full control.
• The idea behind was that a people’s education must be in the hands of the people concerned. The idea took a concrete shape in the formation of the National Council of Education.
• The objective in setting up the institution was to challenge the British rule over education. Besides, the institution was to offer education to the masses on ‘national lines and under national control’.

b. A Split in the National Council and the foundation of the Bengal Technical Institute : A split in the National Council became inevitable when there developed two opinions regarding the method of instruction.

• The majority members wanted a three-dimensional instruction, literary-scientific-technical.
• The minority group thought that this was too ambitious a project and favoured technical education with a sprinkling of science teaching.
• The two groups fell apart with the minority group setting up a separate institution of its own.
• The rival institute was named Society for the Promotion of Technical Education in Bengal (SPTE).
• The SPTE was set up in the house of Sri Taraknath Palit with financial support from him. It was the SPTE that founded the Bengal Technical Institute on 25 July 1906. The objective of the institute was to spread technical education among the masses in West Bengal.

Question 7.
Write a short essay on Rabindranath’s ideas on education in his critique of colonial education in the country.
Answer:
a. Introduction : Western influence on Bengali life, literature and thought was already half a century old when Tagore was born. The young Tagore grew up in an atmosphere thick with western influence. But Western education led, paradoxically, to a rediscovery of the national heritage, and the growth of national consciousness.

b. Rabindranath’s critique of colonical education : Rabindranath’s critique of colonial education came to be spelled in articles published in journals like Bhandar and Bangadarshan. His points in his critique of colonial education may be put forward in the following :

(i) In the colonial system primary and secondary level education the emphasis was on imparting education through the medium of English. English is very different from Bengali, and to Rabindranath the English words could hardly evoke any impression in the mind of the learner. Obviously, the Poet felt that the child found no joy in learning, he could not think for himself, he simply used to memorize a lifeless vocabulary.

(ii) Under the colonial system, education was delinked to child’s living world. It did not touch the core of his life. It was the realization of Rabindranath Tagore that the quality of life did not change under the colonial system of learning through the medium of English. Rabindranath insisted on simultaneous learning of ideas as well as linguistic skill.

c. Rabindranath’s Ideas on Education : Elaborating his own ideas about the aims of education Rabindranath said that the fundamental purpose of education was not “…merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of knowledge…”. Rather he believed that the purpose also was to establish bond of love and friendship between man and man.

Thus it may be said that Rabindranath’s approach to education was humanistic. He believed in an inner harmony amongst man, nature and god. In Rabindranath’s idea of education teachers had to be imaginative. The teachers should understand the child, and help the child to develop curiosity in them.

Tagore further felt that the creative learning could be encouraged only within natural environment. Living in harmony with nature, children would be able to cultivate their natural creativity.

Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 10 History Book Solutions Chapter 4 Early Stages of Collective Action: Characteristics and Analyses offer valuable context and analysis.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 4 Question Answer – Early Stages of Collective Action: Characteristics and Analyses

Class 10 History Chapter 4 Question Answer WBBSE – Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark)

Question 1.
What was the character of the risings in the era prior to the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
The risings of the pre-Revolt period were local in nature and had not assumed an all-india character.

Question 2.
What was the incident that took place at Barrackpore, near Calcutta on 29 March 1857?
Answer:
Incident was that Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the Bengal regiment fired a shot at a European officer.

Question 3.
How did the Revolt of 1857 break out on 10 May 1857 ?
Answer:
On 10 May the sepoys of Meerut in Uttar Pradesh broke out in revolt and that was how the Revolt of 1857 began.

Question 4.
Who was declared the Emperor of India by the rebels?
Answer:
After the capture of the city of Delhi the rebels proclaimed Bahadur Shah II, the then Mughal Emperor as the ‘Emperor of India’.

Question 5.
How did the Rani of Jhansi sacrifice her life ?
Answer:
Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi, put up stubborn resistance and she died fighting the British troops on 17 June 1857.

Question 6.
What part did Kunwar Singh play in the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Kunwar Singh freed parts of Bihar from the clutches of the British, and also helped the rebel forces of Lucknow and Kanpur in their fight against the British.

Question 7.
What was the fate of the Mughal Emperor after the British had recaptured Delhi and suppressed the Revolt ?
Answer:
After the British had recaptured Delhi and suppressed the rebels the Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah II was exiled to Rangoon (Yangong) and his Sons were captured and killed.

Question 8.
Were the British successful in creating a divide between Hinis and Muslims during the course of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Despite the British attempt to create a Hindu-Muslim divide the two communities fought shoulder-to-shoulder against the colonial British rulers.

Question 9.
What was the opinion of V.D Savarkar regarding the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
V.D. Savarkar described the Revolt as the ‘Indian War of Independence’ and there by drafted it into the historiography of Indian nationalism.

Question 10.
Did the middle class intelligentsia support the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
No, the middle class intelligentsia did not support the Revolt of 1857 because they considered the rebels as the elements of social reaction.

Question 11.
What was the apprehension of the Bengali middle class in the success of the rebels ?
Answer:
In the success of the Revolt the Bengali middle class apprehended the return of old social order with all its reactionary principles and ideals.

Question 12.
Why did the British Government of England bring an end to the Company’s rule in India after the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The Company’s rule in India was brought to an end because the Revolt exposed the danger in allowing a commercial organization to rule over a country.

Question 13.
What was said in the Queen’s Proclamation about the government in india ?
Answer:
In her Proclamation Queen Victoria announced certain changes in the governmental policy henceforth to be pursued by the British Government in India.

Question 14.
Since when did political associations start functioning in India?
Answer:
In India, under the British colonial rule, it was not before the 30s of the nineteenth century that political associations started functioning.

Question 15.
Which was the first political association of India?
Answer:
The Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha of Bengal is regarded as the first political association of India.

Question 16.
How is It known that the members of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha discussed about matters affecting the Interests of the country adversely?
Answer:
It is known from a report published in the 17th December edition of Jnartanneshan that members of the Sabha in a meeting agreed to discuss matters that would affect the country adversely.

Question 17.
In what way did the Landholders’ Society serve the interests of the country and her people?
Answer:
The Society helped to create some ground of meeting between the Indian landholders and the Englishmen on an equal footing.

Question 18.
What was the contributions of the Landholders’ Society ?
Answer:
The contribution of the Landholders’ Society was that it paved the way how it was possible for the Indian people to work in close association with the well-wishers of India in Britain for redress of genuine grievances.

Question 19.
How was the Indian Association formed?
Answer:
The Indian Association was organized in 1876 through the efforts of Surendranath Banerjee at the Albert Hall at College Street in Kolkata.

Question 20.
Write one of the main political objectives of the indian Association.
Answer:
One of the main political objectives of the Indian Association was to create a strong body of public opinion all over the country.

Question 21.
What effort was made by Surendranath Banerjee to make the Indian Association a national body?
Answer:
In order to make the Indian Association a national body Surendranath Banerjee undertook a country wide tour.

Question 22.
Who made the word ‘national’ popular among the educated Bengalis?
Answer:
It was Nabagopal Mitra who made the word ‘national’ popular among the educated people of Bengal.

Question 23.
Mention one of the objectives of the Hindu Mela.
Answer:
One of the objectives of the Hindu Mela was to foster the spirit of self-help which was considered essential for the progress and welfare of the nation.

Question 24.
What was the contribution of the Hindu Mela towards the cultivar development ?
Answer:
The Hindu Mela worked for the development of national literature, national song, national gymnastics, etc.

Question 25.
How did the Hindu Mela help the national movement?
Answer:
The Hindu Mela by fostering the spirit of self-help paved the way for foundation of the national movement.

Question 26.
How did literature pave the way for rousing national consciousness?
Answer:
Literature of protest and patriotism in the form of novel poetry, drama, etc. played an important role in arousing national consciousness among the indian people.

Question 27.
How did Bankim Chandra’s Anandamath serve as an inspiration to the freedom-fighters ?
Answer:
Anandamath contains the song Bande Mataram and served as an inspiration to the Bengali revolutionaries early in the twentieth century.

Question 28.
What was predicted by Vivekananda in his Bartaman Bharat?
Answer:
In his Bartaman Bharat Vivekananda predicted of forming a state in which the knowledge of the priest period, the culture of the military, the distributive spirit of the commercial and the ideal of equality of the labour class would be brought into harmony.

Question 29.
In what background was Gora composed by Rabindranath?
Answer:
It was in the background of the Partition of Bengal that Rabindranath Tagore composed his novel Cora.

Question 30.
In which style of art was the Bharatmata painted by Abanindranath Tagore ?
Answer:
Abanindranath Tagore painted the Bharatmata in the Japanese style of art.

Question 31.
Mention one of the famous cartoons of Gaganendranath Tagore.
Answer:
One of the famous cartoons of Gaganendranath was the ‘University Machine’.

Class 10 History Chapter 4 Questions and Answers WBBSE – Short Answer Questions (2 Marks)

Question 1.
What was the nature of risings that took place in the pre-1857 era ?
Answer:
According to one estimate the Indian people raised their voice of protest as many as 54 times prior to the Revolt of 1857. The risings, however, were essentially local in nature. These did not assume an all-india character.

Question 2.
What was the incident in which Mangal Pandey was arrested and then hanged?
Answer:
At Barrackpore, near Calcutta, Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the Bengal regiment fired a shot at a European officer. Despite order from the European officer none came forward to arrest him. Subsequently, Mangal Pandey was arrested and later on hanged.

Question 3.
How did the common people participate in the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
In the Revolt of 1857 the sepoys were the first to burst out in revolt. Sepoys were soon accompanied by rebellion in the cities and country sides. In several places joining of different classes of civilian population gave the Revolt a greater dimension.

Question 4.
How was the British attempt to create a Hindu-Muslim divide foiled ?
Answer:
Despite British attempt to create Hindu-Muslim divide the two communities fought shoulder to shoulder during the Revolt of 1857 against the British colonists. Moreover, the Azimgarh Proclamation clearly stated the Hindus and Muslims were being ruined under the oppression of the treacherous British rulers. This was how the British attempt to create a divide was foiled.

Question 5.
Was the Revolt of 1857 a ‘national rising’ ?
Answer:
While some are in favour of calling the Revolt a ‘national rising’ others view the Revolt simply as a rising of the sepoys. In this context it may be said that a national rising does not require participation of all people. Hence the Revolt of 1857 may well be considered as a ‘national rising’.

Question 6.
Why was the Bengali intelligentsia opposed to the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The Bengali intelligentsia opposed the Revolt of 1857 because they considered the rebel sepoys as the allies of social reaction. They apprehended that in the event of success of the revolt there would be a return of the old social order and reactionary ideals. Thus the Bengali intelligentsia was opposed to the Revolt of 1857.

Question 7.
What was the impact of the Revolt of 1857 on indian administration ?
Answer:
The major impact was the end of the Company’s rule in India and its transfer to the British Crown. The supreme executive authority, so far called the ‘Governor-General of India’, henceforth came to be known as the ‘Governor-General and Viceroy’. There was also the reorganization of army and civil administration.

Question 8.
What was the Queen’s Proclamation?
Answer:
The Queen’s Proclamation issued in the name of Queen Victoria of England announced the change in the administration of india. It was through the Queen’s Proclamation that the honourific title of Viceroy was added to the ‘Governor-General of India’. The Proclamation also announced certain changes in the governmental policy henceforth to be pursued by the British government in India.

Question 9.
What is the importance of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabhal as the first political association of India ?
Answer:
Despite failure of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha it must be admitted that it paved the way for later attempt at formation of political associations. Inspired by the example of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha many such associations came to be established.

Question 10.
What did the Landholders’ Society promote interests of the people ?
Answer:
In the absence of contemporary records it is not definitely known how the Landholders’ Society promoted interests of the people. But there is no denying the fact that it helped to create some ground of meeting between the Indian landholders and the Englishmen on equal footing. The Society also broadened the political outlook of the educated indians.

Question 11.
What were the objectives of the Indian Association (Bharat Sabha)?
Answer:
The Indian Association (or Bharat Sabha) was established with four main objectives. These were : Creation of a strong body of public opinion; to unite various people of India on the basis of a common political ideal; promotion of friendly relations between the Hindus and Muslims. It also wanted to rally the masses in the great political movement of the day.

Question 12.
What were the objectives of the Hindu Mela ?
Answer:
The objectives of the Hindu Mela were : To foster the spirit of self help that was essential for the progress of the nation ; national progress, national unity and self-sufficiency were to be other goals; the Mela also wanted to help building up of Indian economy.

Question 13.
What were the contributions of the Hindu Mela ?
Answer:
In the melas or fairs organized by the Hindu Mela various indigenous products of arts and crafts were displayed which encouraged the native producers. The Hindu Mela also worked for the development of national literature, national songs, national gymnastics, etc. The Mela by fostering the spirit of self-help paved the way for foundation of the national movement.

Question 14.
What did Vivekananda say in the closing paragraph of the Bartaman Bharat ?
Answer:
Vivekananda titled the closing paragraph of the Bartaman Bharat as Swadesh Mantra. It is a magical chant addressed to every Indian. It is a call to arise and awake to.

Question 15.
What does the painting of Bharatmata by Abanindranath Tagore signify ?
Answer:
The painting Bharatmata evokes the memory of the first stanza of the Bande Mataram hymn. The Mother in the picture is beautiful and bountiful. Her feet are delicate, her head is surrounded by a halo indicating her divinity.

WBBSE Class 10 History Chapter 4 Questions and Answers – Analytical Answer Questions (4 Marks)

Question 1.
What was the social factor responsible for the causation of the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
The social factor in the Revolt of 1857 was provided by the racial arrogance of the British and the consequent difference between the ruler and the ruled.

• The British, unlike the foreigners who had come to India prior to them, did not build up any social relations with the Indians.
• The arrogance of the British officers alienated the Indians completely from the alien rulers.
• Result was that the Indians never looked upon the British in India as their benefactor. Thus each of their moves aroused suspicion amongst the Indians.
• For example, reforms like the prohibition of sati and other social reforms, otherwise beneficial, appeared to the Indians as an attempt to Westernize the ancient people.
• All this generated a hateful wrath among the Indians against the British rulers that burst out in the Revolt of 1857.

Question 2.
What was the economic cause of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The basis of British imperialism was economic exploitation of the colonial people. The new economic policy introduced by the British proved disastrous for the peasantry, artisans, traders, all alike.

• Since the time of the Industrial Revolution in England the real motive of the British was to convert India into a dumping ground for British industrial goods, and to ruin Indian industry and trade.
• As a result of the new economic policy of the British the handicraftsmen and artisans were thrown out of employment.
• Peasants were impoverished. Imposition of heavy tax ruined them.
• Besides, creation of private property in land as affected the peasantry adversely. They could be evicted from their land.
• All those who suffered under the British misrule availed themselves of the opportunity provided by the Revolt of 1857.

Question 3.
Write in short about the political cause of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
The annexationist policy of the British rulers like Lord Wellesley and Lord Daihousie created an atmosphere of discontent amongst the people of the native states of india.

• After the Battle of Plassey the British following an annexationist policy built up their Indian empire. Native states were annexed one after another.
• Particularly the annexations of Lord Dalhousie through the Doctrine of Lapse made many of the native ruling houses sullen and discontented.
• Jhansi, Jaitpur, Sambalpur, Satara, etc. were annexed one after another. But the annexation of Oudh on the ground of maladministration agitated even the sepoys of the Company as many of them were recruited from Oudh.
• The end of the rule of the native princes affected the people in many other ways. The people serving under the native princes were thrown out of employment.
• The native princes as also the people of the respective states who were distressed were waiting for an opportunity of revenge. Thus many native princes rallied against the British when the Revolt broke out in 1857.

Question 4.
Why did the introduction of the Enfield Rifle aggrieve the indian sepoys?
Or
What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
During the hundred years of British rule different sections of indian population were badly affected by the policies of the British government in india.

• In the mid 19th century when the atmosphere was surcharged with anti-British feeling the episode of greased cartridge provided the spark of the Revolt of 1857.
• The new Enfield rifle introduced in India by the British army needed a special type of cartridge that had a greased cover.
• The paper had to be bitten off before the cartridge was loaded into the rifle.
• The grease used in the paper was alleged to be made of beef and pig fat that enraged both the Hindu and Muslim sepoys.
• Both the religious communities felt that their religions were at stake. This worked as a spark in the magazine room and the Revolt began.

Question 5.
Would you say that the Hindus and Muslims co-operated with each other during the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Despite British attempt to create division between the Hindus and Muslims the two communities fought shoulder to shoulder against their common enemy, the British.

• There is no shred of doubt that the British tried in all possible ways to transform the joint Hindu-Muslim struggle into a communal war between the two communities.
• But this was unsuccessful as it was realized that any Hindu-Muslim divide was sure to weaken the combined strength to fight the British.
• A Proclamation was issued in Delhi that urged upon the Hindus and Muslims to unite against the British infidels in the name of their respective religions.
• The Muslim religious millenarians (believer in the future days of happiness) also issued similar proclamations urging upon the Hindus and Muslims to stand unitedly against the firinghees (British).
• Thus it is evident from what is stated above that the Hindus and Muslims co-operated with each other against the British.

Question 6.
Write in short about the characteristic features of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
The characteristic features of the Revolt of 1857 were many as they were varied.

• First of all the sepoys was followed or accompanied by a rebellion in the city and countryside. In several places the common people rose in revolt even before the sepoys.
• Not only that, in some places the people came forward to fight against the British army with ordinary weapons.
• Another characteristic feature of the Revolt of 1857 was that the rebels burnt the government records as what they did to the account books of the moneylenders and sowcars.
• Despite the British attempt to create a Hindu-Muslim divide the two communities fought shoulder to shoulder against the British colonial rulers in the revolt.
• An important feature of the Revolt was that in some areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar peasants and artisans rebelled against the foreign rulers. Moreover, they targeted the new zamindars that were considered the agents of the British.

Question 7.
Determine the character of the Revolt of 1857.
Or
Determine the nature of the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
Opinions are sharply divided as regards the character of the Revolt of 1857. While some are of the opinion that it was nothing more than a revolt of the sepoys there are others who call it either a ‘war of independence’ or a popular revolt.

• The old school of historians found it difficult to call the Revolt of 1857 a ‘war of arvelousce’ on the ground that there was no plan, no co
  ordination among the rebels of different parts of the country.
• Dr. S.N. Sen argued that the Revolt was not merely a rising of the sepoys. According to him, a national rising does not require participation of all people.
• Modern historians on the basis of available documents have come to the conclusion that though began with the rising of the sepoys the Revolt soon was joined by common people. As such the Revolt assumed the character of a popular revolt.
• Moreover, participation of common people with primitive weapons,indeed, speaks in favour of the Revolt of 1857 being a popular revolt.

Question 8.
What were the direct effects of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The direct effects of the Revolt of 1857 may be summed up in the following words :

• The Revolt of 1857 exposed the danger of allowing a commercial organization to rule over a country.
• Consequently, the British Parliament by an Act transferred the control of the country’s government from the East India Company to the British Crown.
• Victoria, the Queen of England by a Proclamation assumed directly the responsibility of the Indian administration in her own hands.
• In accordance with the Queen’s Proclamation the honorific title of Viceroy was added to the Governor-General of India. Lord Canning thus became the first ‘Viceroy and Governor-General of India’.

Question 9.
What were the indirect results of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Far more important than the direct results were the indirect ones which followed the Revolt of 1857. These were as follows :

• After the Revolt the difference between the ruler and the ruled widened further.
• The British in order to retain their supremacy in india deliberately followed a policy of communal disharmony.
• The post-1857 days of the British rule was marked by a new era of economic exploitation by the British in India.
• During the period following the Revolt of 1857 the British government in India pursued a policy of opposing the educated middle class. Simultaneously it supported the landlords (zamindars) and native princes.
• After the Revolt of 1857 was over the British government thoroughly reorganized its administrative apparatus.

Question 10.
What was the Queen’s Proclamation?
Answer:
The Queen’s Proclamation formally announced the taking over of the Indian administration by the British Crown. According to the British system of govenment, though Parliament is the supreme body. all the functions of the government are performed in the name of the Crown. Obviously, Victoria, the then Queen of England, finally announced the assumption of the indian government by the Crown acting through the British government by a proclamation. This was formally announced by Lord Canning at a Durbar held at Allahabad (November, 1858).

In the Durbar Canning read out the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’. This was how there was the beginning of the British Raj instead of the rule of the Company Bahadur. Formally, the administrative responsibility was vested in a minister of the British Cabinet, known as the ‘Secretary of State for India’.

Question 11.
What was the importance of the Queen’s Proclamation?
Answer:
Victoria, the then Queen of England, announced the assumption of the Indian government by the Crown by a Proclamation. This was formally announced by Lord Canning, the then Governor-General of India at a Durbar held at Allahabad in November, 1858. The Queen’s Proclamation, after the end of the Company’s rule in India, put forward the future agenda of the British government in England for the administration of India.

The importance of the Queen’s Proclamation lies in the commitments Queen Victoria had made to the people of India through it. She promised, through the Proclamation, to open administrative services to all irrespective of race and creed. The Queen assured the native princes that they would be safe and promised the middle class to widen the opportunities for their advancement. Despite all the promises it, however, soon became clear to all that they would be honoured more in their non-implementation rather than implementation.

Question 12.
Why did the educated Bengali middle class Bengali intelligentsia not support the rebels of the Revolt of 1857?
Or
What was the attitude of the Bengali middle class intelligentsia towards the Revolt of 1857?
Answer:
The Bengali intelligentsia was apathetic to the Revolt of 1857. This is such a ticklish problem that none has been able to offer any satisfactory explanation as to why the intellectuals did not lend support to the rebels. However, some possibilities may be discussed.

• One explanation is that the Bengali intellectuals were opposed to the Revolt because they considered the rebels as allies of social reaction.
• There were also socio-economic reasons why the middle-class intelligentsia opposed the Revolt. The intellectuals belonged to the well to-do family that had been the product of the colonial structure.
• In the success of the Revolt the middle class saw the return of the old social order with all its reactionary principles and ideals.
• Thus the middle-class Bengali intellectuals had no option but to oppose the revolt of 1857.

Question 13.
Was the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha, the first politicalasiation of india successful
Answer:
Details about the activities of the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha is not available. But whatever little is known from its reference in different contemporary newspapers it may be said that the Sabhez was not very successful in its mission. The members had decided to convene a meeting to consider the propriety of sending a memorandum in protest against the governmental measures.

But it is not known if any such meeting was ever held. Dr. Ramesh Chandra Majumder commenting on the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha pointed out that the failure of the association was due to the ‘lack of unity’ amongst its members. It must, however, be said that despite failure of the Sabha it paved the way for later organizational attempt at the formation of political associations.

Question 14.
What were the achievements of the Zamindary Association (Landholder’s Society)
Answer:
The Zamindary Association was the first association organized in 1837 in Calcutta with distinctive political outlook. The very next year (1838) the Association changed its name to the Landholders’ Society.

• The Landholders’ Society was looked upon ‘as the pioneer of freedom in this country’. It gave to the people the first lesson in the art of fighting constitutionally for their rights.
• Ostensibly the Society advocated the rights of the zamindars, but as their rights were intimately linked with those of the ryots the one could not be separated from the other.
• The Landholders’ Society also set up the example of working in close association with the well-wishers of India in Britain for getting their grievances redressed.
• The above are some of the achievements of the Landholdes Society.

Question 15.
With what objectives was the Indian Association formed ?
Answer:
The Indian Association was organized on 26 July 1876. The inaugural meeting was held at the Albert Hall in Calcutta. Ananda Mohan Basu was the first elected secretary, and Akshay Chandra Sarkar, the Assistant Secretary of the Association. The aims and objectives of the Indian Association were stated to be as follows :

• The creation of a strong body of public opinion in the country.
• The unification of the Indian races and peoples upon the basis of common political interests and aspirations.
• The promotion of friendly feelings between Hindus and Muslims.
• The inclusion of the masses in the great public movement of the day.

Question 16.
What did Abanindranath express through his paintings?
Answer:
Since 1806 Abanindranath’s paintings were designed as organized protests against foreign influences.

• The paintings also meant passion for artistic expression through indigenous forms.
• It may be said that his attitude towards indian culture was more intensely national than that of any exponents of national literature.
• In the early Swadeshi days Abanindranath had been a sincere worker in the cause under the guidance of Rabindranath Tagore. Never did he forsake the spirit of Swadeshi.
• Through the new school of painting (Bengal School of Painting) founded by him Abanindranath addressed the cultural side of the Swadeshi Movement.
• Commenting on the achievements of Abanindranath in the sphere of art Sri Aurobindo Bose had remarked that the Bengal School of Painting was the antidote (corrective measure) for the bad taste generated by the British system of education.

Class 10 History Chapter 4 Questions and Answers West Bengal Board – Explanatory Answer Questions (8 Marks)

Question 1.
What was the immediate cause of the Revolt of 1857 ? What was the role of common people in it ?
Answer:
a. Immediate Cause of the Revolt : Various causes were responsible for the Revolt of 1857. Political, social, economic, military and other factors contributed to the making of the Revolt of 1857. When the atmosphere was surcharged with an anti-British feeling the episode of the greased cartridges provided the spark which turned it into a conflagration.

The new ‘Enfield Rifle’ introduced by the British in the army needed a special type of cartridge which had a greased paper cover. This paper had to be bitten off before the cartridge was loaded into the rifle. The grease used in the paper was made of beef and pig fat. This enraged both the Hindu and the Muslim sepoys. Both the religious communities felt that their religions were at stake. This worked as a spark in the magazine room and the Mutiny began.

b. Role of the Common People : The Revolt of 1857 did not remain confined to the sepoys of the British army in India. In fact, different shades of ordinary people joined the revolts in various places of Northern India. Prof. Satish Chandra has commented that in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh the Revolt of 1857 assumed a mass character due to the participation of the peasants and artisans. At Kanpur the ordinary people were led by Nana Saheb. Responding to his call even the villagers came out openly with primitive weapons to resist the foreign army.

Question 2.
What were the characteristic features of the Revolt of 1857? How did Mangal Pandey become a martyr?
Answer:
a. Characteristic Features of the Revolt : The characteristic features of the Revolt of 1857 were many as they were varied.

• First of all the sepoys was followed or accompanied by a rebellion in the city and countryside. In several places the common people rose in revolt even before the sepoys.
• Not only that, in some places the people came forward to fight against the British army with ordinary weapons.
• Another characteristic feature of the Revolt of 1857 was that the rebels burnt the government records as what they did to the account books of the moneylenders and sowcars.
• Despite the British attempt to create a Hindu-Muslim divide the two communities fought shoulder to shoulder against the British colonial rulers in the revolt.
• An important feature of the Revolt was that in some areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar peasants and artisans rebelled against the foreign rulers. Moreover, they targeted the new zarnindars that were considered the agents of the British.

b. Mangal Pandey : The Revolt of 1857 broke out on 10 May 1857 at Meerut. It gathered force rapidly ‘cutting across Northern India like a sword’. Even before the outbreak at Meerut, Mangal Pandey had become a martyr at Barrackpore, near Calcutta.

At Barrackpore Mangal Pandey, a sepoy of the Bengal Regiment fired a shot at a European officer on 29 March 1857. Despite order from the European officers none came forward to arrest Mangal Pandey. Subsequently, however, Mangal Pandey along with those who disobeyed the order was arrested Mangal Pandey was hanged on 29 March. This was how Mangal Pandey became a martyr.

Question 3.
What was the nature of the Revolt of 1857? Why was the Revolt unsuccessful ?
Answer:
a. Nature of the Revolt : Opinions are sharply divided as regards the character of the Revolt of 1857. While some of the opinion are that it was nothing more than a revolt of the sepoys. There are others who call it either a “war of independence’ or a popular revolt.

• The old school of historians found it difficult to call the Revolt of 1857 a ‘war of arvelousce’ on the ground that there was no plan, no coordination among the rebels of different parts of the country.
• Dr. S.N. Sen argued that the Revolt was not merely a rising of the sepoys. According to him, a national rising does not require participation of all people.
• Modem historians on the basis of available documents have come to the conclusion that though began with the rising of the sepoys the revolt soon was joined by common people. As such the Revolt assumed the character of a popular revolt.
• Moreover, participation of common people with primitive weapons, indeed, speaks in favour of the Revolt of 1857 being a popular revolt.

b. Causes of the Failure of the Revolt: Revolt of 1857 was a failure. Various causes were responsible for the failure.

• Apart from the military weaknesses of the mutineers and the faulty leadership, there were deeper social factors responsible for the failure of the Revolt. The Indian mutineers remained disorganised from the very beginning.
• The Revolt of 1857 also failed due to the lack of leadership. The leaders, in fact, could not lead the rebels of the whole country.
• There was hardly any coordination among the forces fighting in different regions. Moreover, since the rebels had no common end in view the Revolt could not be as intense as it should have been.
• The Revolt of 1857 failed because the English were militarily superior to the sepoys.
• Machineguns had always played an important role in the military activities of the British in Asia. It was also with the help of machine-guns that the British soldiers could easily crush the strongholds of the mutineers.

Question 4.
What were the causes of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The Revolt of 1857 was not a sudden incident. Oppressed and exploited, the discontent of all the classes of Indian people was smouldering, and it broke out in flames in a revolt.

• Social Cause : The social cause of the Revolt of 1857 was provided by The racial arrogance of the British and the consequent difference the rulers and the ruled.
• Political Cause : The imperialist policy of the British rulers supplied the political cause of the Revolt. The annexationist policy of Lord created an atmosphere of rebellion in the native states of India. However, the annexation of Oudh on the ground of maladministration particularly agitated the sepoys of the East India Company, as many of them came from Oudh. Moreover, with the end of the rule of the native princes, many people serving under them were throw out of exployment.
• Religious Cause : Activities of the Christian missionaries in India constituted the religious cause of the Revolt of 1857. With a view to perpetuating the British rule in india, the imperialist rulers made an attempt to obliterate the ancient heritage and the traditional beliefs of the indians.

Military Cause : When the sentiments of the indians were thus aroused against the British, the discontent of the sepoys constituted the military cause of the Revolt. The sepoys were discontented against the British for a variety of reasons. There was a great disparity between the salaries of the Indian and the European soldiers.

Thus when the resentment against the British were growing among the Indian sepoys news of some international events helped to generate a sense of self-confidence in them. The set-back of the British soldiers in the first Afghan War (1839) and the Crimean War (1854) indirectly helped the sepoys to be so determined as to rise in revolt against the British.

Immediate Cause : When the atmosphere was thus surcharged with an anti-British feeling the episode of the greased cartridges provided the spark which turned it into a conflagration. The new ‘Enfield Rifle’ introduced by the British in the army needed a special type of cartridge which had a greased paper cover.

This paper had to be bitten off before the cartridge was loaded into the rifle. The grease used in the paper was make of beef and pig fat. This enraged both the Hindu and the Muslim sepoys. Both the religious communities felt that their religions were at stake. This worked as a spark in the magazine room and the revolt began.

Question 5.
Write in short about the leadership of Nana Saheb, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Kunwar Singh and Tantia Tope in the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
The Revolt of 1857 had its beginning at Meerut in Uttar Pradesh on 10 May, where from it spread to various parts of Northern india. Besides Delhi the sepoys rose in rebellion in Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Arrah, etc. Some of these centres, at least temporarily, shook off the british rule.

a. Nana Saheb : There is no denying the fact that the participation of some feudal lords, native princes, etc. increased the intensity of the Revolt. Moreover, it did not remain confined to the sepoys alone. The rebels of Kanpur were led by Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. Under his leadership the mutineers successfully dislodged the English officials there.

b. Rani Lakshmi Bai : Of the leaders of the Revolt Rani lakshmi Bai of Jhansi deserves special mention. Initially she had co-operated with the English, but soon she turned into a formidable enemy of the British. She fought like a true heroine and tales of her bravery had inspired our countrymen ever since. With the help of Tantia Tope Lakshmi Bai successfully captured Gwalior. The brave Rani Lakshmi Bai died fighting on 17 June 1857.

c. Kunwar singh : Kunwar Singh, the discontented zamindar of Jagadishpur (in Bihar), was the chief organiser of the Revolt in Bihar. Kunwar Singh came to be known as the Tiger of the Revolt of 1857. He unfurled his own flag in his palace at Jagadishpur.

d. Tantia Tope : Even after the death of Rani Lakshmi Bai, Tantia Tope offered stiff resistance to the British adopting the guerilla tactics of Shivaji. At this juncture, taking advantage of the internal troubles in

Maharashtra, Tantia Tope established a strong centre of the Revolt there. Ultimately, of course, Tantia Tope had to surrender to the British. He was hanged to death on charges of treason and murder. With Tantia Topes death, the Revolt of 1857 virtually came to an end.

Question 6.
Write about the Hindu-Muslim relations during the Revolt of 1857.
Answer:
During the Revolt of 1857 the Hindus and Muslims fought shoulder to shoulder against their common enemy the British. No doubt the British tried in all possible ways to transform the joint Hindu-Muslim struggle into a communal war between the two communities. But this was unsuccessful. For, it was realised that any Hindu-Muslim divide was sure to weaken the combined strength to fight the British. Rather our rebel ancestors used religion to advance the revolutionary struggle.

A proclamation was issued in Delhi that urged upon the Hindus and Muslims to unite against the British infidels in the name of their respective religions. Other proclamations also similarly expressed the urgent need for Hindu-Muslim unity. The Muslim religious millenarians (those who believed in the future days of happiness) issued proclamations urging upon the Hindus and Muslims to stand united against the feringhees (English).

The famous Azimgarh Proclamation of 25 August 1857 categorically stated that ‘both Hindus and Muslims (were) being ruined under the tyranny and oppression of the infidel and treacherous English.’ Similarly, the Hindu Rajah of the Gond tribe, who was living as a pensioner of the British at Nagpur, had turned a traditional Sanskrit hymn into an anti-British hymn. Thus it may be said that in the Revolt of 1857 the Hindu-Muslim relation displayed one of harmony, cordiality and unity.

Question 7.
What were the causes of the failure of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The Revolt of 1857 was a failure. Apart from the military weaknesses of the mutineers and the faulty leadership, there were deeper social factors responsible for the failure of the Revolt.

i. The failure of the Revolt of 1857 proved once again that a disciplined army, however small it may be in number, can easily defeat an indisciplined army of larger proportions. The Indian mutineers remained disorganised from the very beginning.

ii. The Revolt of 1857 also failed due to the lack of leadership. Bahadur Shah II, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Nana Saheb, etc. were leaders outstanding only in their respective areas. They, in fact, could not lead the rebels of the whole country.

iii. There was hardly any co-ordination among the forces fighting in different regions. Moreover, since the rebels had no common end in view the Revolt could not be as intense as it should have been. People around Delhi proclaimed Bahadur Shah, the Mughal Emperor, as the Emperor of Hindustan. But Lakshmi Bai or Kunwar Singh rioted for more than local autonomy.

iv. The powerful leaders like Holkar, Sindhia, the Nawab of Bhopal and others refused to join the Revolt. They even gave active support to the British in suppressing the Revolt.

v. The Revolt of 1857 failed because the English were militarily superior to the rebels. The Enfield Rifle used by the British soldiers were far superior to the ordinary firing weapons used by the indian sepoys.

vi. Machine-guns had always played an important role in the military activities of the British in Asia. It was also with the help of machine- guns that the British soldiers could easily crush the strongholds of the mutineers. In the opinion of Promode Sengupta, the greatest weakness of the indian sepoys was that they could not adopt the guerilla tactics of warfare to fight against the British soldiers.

Question 8.
What were the results of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Or
What was the impact of the Revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The results of the Revolt of 1857 may be studied under two heads, namely, direct and indirect.
a. Direct Results :

i. The Revolt of 1857 exposed the danger involved in allowing a commercial organisation to rule over a country. Consequently, the British Parliament by an Act transferred the control of the Indian government from the East India Company to the British Crown. The said Act passed on 2 August 1858, was known as the Act for the Better Government of India.

ii. Victoria, the Queen of England, by a Proclamation announced on 1 November 1858, directly assumed the responsibility of the Indian administration in her own hands. And it was in accordance with the Queen’s Proclamation that the honorific title of Viceroy was added to the Governor-General of india. That is to say, the supreme executive and legislative authority in India henceforth came to be called the Governor- General and the Viceroy. Lord Canning, so far known as the Governor- General of India, also became the first Viceroy of India in 1858.

iii. In her Proclamation Queen Victoria also announced certain changes in the governmental policy. She made it clear that the British government had no desire of further territorial expansion in India. The Queen also categorically stated that the British government in India would in no way interfere with the established customs or religion of the Indian people.

iv. The Revolt of 1857 led to an extensive reorganisation of the army and the civil administration. It must, however, be remembered that in spite of all these bold theoretical statements hardly any change occurred in the basic exploitative nature of the British rule in India.

b. Indirect Results : Far more important than the direct results were the indirect ones which followed the Revolt of 1857.

• The Revolt further widened the difference between the ruler and the ruled.
• During the post-Revolt years the British rulers, in order to maintain their supremacy in India, deliberately followed a policy of communal disharmony. The seed of communal discord planted by the English in India sprouted like a poison tree, and bore the fruits of communalism.
• True that the British government in India did not pursue a policy of territorial expansionism in India during the post-1857 days, the period was yet marked by a new era of economic exploitation by the British.
• It may be said that during the years following the Revolt of 1857 the British pursued a policy of opposing the educated middle class and supporting the landlords and native princes.

Question 9.
What was the attitude of the Bengali intellectuals towards the Revolt of 1857? What was the Queen’s Proclamation ?
Answer:
a. Attitude of the Bengali Intellectuals ? There is a controversy of opinion regarding the attitude of the Bengali intelligentsia towards the Revolt of 1857. It is true that the middle class Bengali intellectuals were apathetic to the Revolt of 1857. But this attitude cannot be explained simply by a sense of loyalty’ of the intelligentsia to the foreign rulers. There are other reasons why the Bengali intellectuals expressed hostile attitude towards the rebels.

i. The discontent of the nobles and aristocrats of the old social order saw in the success of the Revolt of 1857 a chance to regain their lost social status based on birth and landed property. On the other hand the Bengali educated middle class saw, in the success of the Revolt, the possibility of return of old social order with all its reactionary principles.

ii. There were also socio-economic reasons for which the Bengali intelligentsia opposed the Revolt of 1857. The intellectuals belonged to the well-to-do families that had been the product of the colonial structure. Their economic status rose because of the trade and commerce, and their intellectual position was due to the english education. Thus the Bengali middle class in its own interest was bent on defending the new socio-economic conditions under the British rule. Hence their opposition to the rebels.

iii. The growing political consciousness of the educated Bengali middle class was also responsible for their opposition to the revolt. Politically conscious middle class thought that in the event kings and nobles had wrested political power from the British there would be hardly any scope for their playing any political role.

iv. The Bengali middle class, which was the creation of British rule, saw no hope in the Revolt of 1857. In their own class-interest the middle class thought it to be prudent to take sides with the British rulers rather than to back the feudal element of the Revolt of 1857.

v. Above are some of the reasons why the Bengali intelligentsia took a hostile attitude towards the rebels.

b. The Queen’s Proclamation: The Queen’s Proclamation formally announced the taking over of the Indian administration by the British Crown. According to the system of British govenment, though Parliament is the supreme body all the functions of the government are performed in the name of the Crown. Obviously, Victoria, the then Queen of England, finally announced the assumption of the Indian government by the Crown acting through the British government by a proclamation.

This was formally announced by Lord Canning at a Durbar held at Allahabad (November, 1858). In the Durbar Caning read out the ‘Queen’s Proclamation’. This was how there was the beginning of the British Raj instead of the rule of the Company Bahadur. Formally, the administrative responsibility was vested in a minister of the British Cabinet, known as the ‘Secretary of State for India’.

Question 10.
Write in short about the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha. What were the achievements of the Landholders’ Society ?
Answer:
a. Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha : The little that is known about the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha from its reference in different contemporary newspapers the following may be said about the Sabha.

• The members had decided to convene a meeting to consider the propriety of sending a memorandum in protest against the governmental measures. But it is not known if any such meeting was ever held.
• Dr. Ramesh Chandra Majumder commenting on the Bangabhasa Prakashika Sabha pointed out that the failure of the association was due to the “lack of unity’ amongst its members.
• It must, however, be said that despite failure of the Sabha it paved the way for later organizational attempt at the formation of political associations.

b. Landholders’ Society : The first association with a distinctive political outlook in India was the Zamindary Association that was formed in 1837. The very next year the association changed its name to the Landholders’ Society. The achievements of the Society may be summed up in the following words :

i. In a meeting of the Society Rajendralal Mitra, the great Orientalist, said that he looked upon the Landholders’ Society as the pioneer of freedom in this country. It gave to the people the first lesson in the art of fighting constitutionally for their rights.

ii. Ostensively it advocated the rights of the zamindars, yet the Association advocated for the rights of the ryots as well. As the rights of the zamindars were linked with those of the ryots wh. was good or bad for the zamindars was equally valid for the ryots.

iii. The Landholders’ Society set up example of working in close association with the well-wishers of india in Britain.

iv. The Society through the London Society sought to draw the attention of the British Government in London on the following objects :

• Prevention of the resumption of rent-free tenure
• Extension of the land settlement of permanent nature to all the parts of British India,
• Reform of the judicial, police and revenue systems for the betterment of all classes of people of the country.
• The demands raised by the Society were later on taken up by the Indian National Congress in the form of resolution.
• The above are some of the achievements of the Landholders’ Society.

Question 11.
What were the objectives of the indian Association ? How did it help the growth of national movement ?
Answer:
a. Objectives : The Indian Association was organized on 26 July 1876. The inaugural meeting was held at the Albert Hall in Calcutta. Ananda Mohan Basu was the first elected secretary, and Akshay Chandra Sarkar, the Assistant Secretary of the Association. The aims and objectives of the Indian Association were stated to be as follows :

• The creation of a strong body of public opinion in the country.
• The unification of the Indian races and peoples upon the basis of common political interests and aspirations.
• The promotion of friendly feelings between Hindus and Muslims.
• The inclusion of the masses in the great public movement of the day.

b. Help to the Growth of National Movement : The activities of the Indian Association constituted an important phase in the growth of national movement in India. In an address Surendranath Banerjee categorically stated that there was no political organization in Bengal that represented the middle class and the ryots. In various ways the Indian Association helped the growth of national movement.

• The Indian Association worked in co-operation with the political organizations in other provinces of the country. Through a campaign for reduction of the maximum age for the Indian Civil Service (ICS) the Association sought to awaken a spirit of unity and solidarity among the Indian people.
• The Association also took great interest in the development of local self-government. It urged upon the people to join the Association in petitioning for the elective system in municipalities. This was considered the first important step towards the realization of the ideal of representative government in India.
• The indian Association also took active interest in all the contemporary political issues and led different agitations. The Ilbert Bill agitation and imprisonment of Surendranath Banerjee taught the Indian nationalists the value of greater political movement.
• In order to give concrete shape to the idea of broader political movement the indian Association called an All-India National Conference in 1883. This was the precursor of the Indian National Congress.

Question 12.
With what objectives was the Hindu Mela formed ? What were its contributions to the cause of indian nationalism ?
Answer:
a. Objectives : The objectives of the Hindu Mela were :

• To foster the spirit of self-help, which was considered essential for the progress and welfare of the nation.
• Manomohon Bose, the great orator of the time, emphasized that national progress, national unity and practice of self-sufficiency must be the sacred goal of the Mela.
• One of the objectives of the Mela was to help building up of Indian economy.
• Propagation of the motto self-dependency throughout the country was another major objective of the Hindu Mela.

b. Contributions to the cause of Nationalism : The Hindu Mela had immense contributions to the cause of Indian nationalism.

• The Hindu Mela used to hold annual sessions. On such occasions fairs were organized attended by thousands of people. Display of various products of Indian arts and crafts encouraged the native producers.
• The Hindu Mela also worked for the development of national literature, national song, national gymnastics, etc.
• The Mela also drew into the national movement personalities like Sibnath Shastri, Bipin Chandra Pal, Sisirkumar Ghosh and many others.

Question 13.
What is the idea revealed in the Bartaman Vivekananda ?
Answer:
Bartaman Bharat is a monograph by Swami Vivekananda. It contains deep feeling of national, cultural and political issues.
a. The Bartaman Bharat amplifies and elaborates the ideas on society. It is stated that human society in turn is governed by the four castes the priests, soldiers, traders and labourers.

b. The priestly rule is exclusive on hereditary grounds; the military rule is tyrannical and cruel. The commercial rule is crushing and blood-sucking. But the traders go everywhere and they are good disseminators of ideas. The rule of the labourers has the advantage of distributing physical comforts. But it has the disadvantage of lowering culture.

c. In the Bartaman Bharat Vivekananda predicts forming a state in which the knowledge of the priest period, the culture of the military, the distributive spirit of the commercial and the ideal of equality of the last (labourers) are brought into harmony. To Vivekananda that would be an ideal state.

d. Bartaman Bharat ends with a calling for giving up imitating the Western life-style in dress and manners. There should be cherished feeling of self-respect, and a sense of pride in being Indian.

e. The closing paragraph of the Bartaman Bharat is titled by Vivekananda as Swadesh Mantra, an incantation (magical chant) for the homeland. It is addressed to every Indian. It is a call to arise and awake to the national ideal of identity with the Indian heritage. The indian people, even if they are the poorest and the lowliest should take pride in having been born as an indian.

f. Patriotism and nationalism for Vivekananda was never a matter of political strategy, rather it had to do with spiritual belonging to one’s culture and history. Religion and nationalism became interchangeable for Vivekananda.

Question 14.
What is revealed through the agriculture of Gaganedranath Tagore?
Answer:
Gaganendranath Tagore was a figure in contemporary indian painting. His achievements rank high among Bengal’s many notable contributions to modern Indian culture.

a. Gaganendranath has been the brother of the founder of the Bengal school of painting, Abanindranath Tagore. But he was not a figure in that art movement. He kept himself free from the influence of the new school, even while living so close to its founder and inspirer.

b. Nirad C. Chaudhuri has observed that Gaganendranath’s cartoons display marvelous originality as drawings. They were unsurpassed in india not only at the time they were created, they are unsurpassed even today.

c. The outlook of the cartoons is that of liberalism of the last decade of the nineteenth century and first twenty years of the twentieth century.

d. In the above context a better-known cartoon of Gaganendranath may be taken up for discussion. One of the famous cartoons was the ‘University Machine’.

e. The cartoon University Machine shows a clock striking 10.30 a.m. The smoke comes out of the chimney, while the students throng at the gate. The university building is in the shape of big fat tomes (a very large heavy book). Pressed between them, after the courses are done, the students come out flattened and crippled. One would also notice the two figures in silhouette standing Tern two pillars.

One of them appears to be in European costume, while the other is in indian turban. They are probably those among the founders of the university. They are no longer moving forces but are now shadowed out. The crowd at the gate is in Bengali dress. The cartoon has an undercutting of sadness in spite of the satire.